Ryan Saunders addressing the #Twolves media pic.twitter.com/VNFjrOvikH
— Timberwolves PR (@Twolves_PR) July 1, 2014
Ryan Saunders officially joined the coaching staff of the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday afternoon.
Saunders is the son of Wolves President of Basketball Operations and head coach Flip Saunders. The younger Saunders has been an assistant coach with the Washington Wizards for the past five seasons, after serving one season under Tubby Smith at the University of Minnesota.
#Twolves officially name Ryan Saunders an ast coach on Flip Saunders' staff. Ryan comes to MN after five seasons in Washington.
— Timberwolves PR (@Twolves_PR) July 1, 2014
Saunders spoke to reporters after the announcement on Tuesday.
According to FOX Sports Net, Saunders spoke of listening to conversations between former Wolves players Sam Mitchell and Kevin Garnett.
“I remember sitting in that training room back there,” Saunders said, pointing down the Target Center hallway, “and listening to him and Kevin Garnett just talk, all the way up from when I was about 11 years old. Just hearing them talk and taking words of wisdom that they weren’t necessarily even saying to me.”
Now the 28-year-old Saunders joins Mitchell and former Wolves coach Sydney Lowe on the coaching staff.
But that might not be it. 1500 ESPN reports that if guard Chauncey Billups decides to retire, Flip Saunders intends to pursue him as an assistant as well.
The Pistons chose not to pick up Billups’ option, making him a free agent.
Billups hasn’t said if he will play another season in the NBA, or if he ‘ll retire and pursue coaching.
He and Flip Saunders do have some history. Billups played for Flip twice: from 2000-2002, during Saunders’ first stint as the Wolves head coach; and then again in Detroit, from 2005-2008.
