This is pretty straight forward Wolves faithful.
We don’t remember what it’s like to be a part of the NBA playoffs anymore, so in this continuing series that starts tonight, we’ll live vicariously through the 2003-04 Minnesota Timberwolves, most likely once a week.
We’ve missed a few key dates, but we’ll fill you in.
June 27, 2003: Sam Cassell and Ervin Johnson are acquired by the Wolves in exchange for Joe Smith and Anthony Peeler.
July 23, 2003: In a ridiculously complicated four-team trade, Minnesota sends Terrell Brandon to Atlanta and Marc Jackson to Philadelphia, and receive New York Knicks off-guard Latrell Sprewell.
September 30, 2003: The Wolves report to training camp. Sprewell, Cassel, and Kevin Garnett are on the same court playing for the same team for the first time. They would later be known as the “Big Three”.
That brings us to today, which is notable for a few reasons.
First, “The Mayor” Fred Hoiberg turned 31 years old in 2003. He would be one of the players to benefit the most from the presence of Cassell and Sprewell, stretching the floor and seeing plenty of open looks as a dead-eye three-point shooter for Minnesota. He turns 41 today if math serves, and is now one of the up-and-coming college coaches around, leading the program at Iowa State. Today is the first day the NCAA allows college teams to practice, so a big day for Hoiberg on a few levels in 2013.
Second, tonight marks exactly two weeks before the Wolves opening night game against Milwaukee in the 2003-04 season.
Let the countdown begin to the opening of the season. 2003-04, not 2013-14. Well, 2013-14 too, but that’s two weeks and a day away, the 2003-04 season is just two weeks away….10 years ago. Did you follow that?
We’ll try to clear it up when we’re back in two weeks with the 2003-04 Wolves season opener.
