John Thomas Joins Timberwolves and

Lynx Front Office as Vice President of

Community Engagement

Minneapolis-St. Paul – The Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx have announced the hiring of Minneapolis native and former University of Minnesota student-athlete and NBA veteran John Thomas to the newly-created position of Vice President of Community Engagement.

Thomas comes to the Timberwolves and Lynx after spending four years as the National Training Manager for Life Time Fitness. Among Thomas’ duties during his tenure at Life Time was leading the basketball training division for Ultimate Hoops, which included the oversight of all programming, financials, operations, marketing and strategic partnerships for the program. Thomas has also worked in conjunction with the National Basketball Retired Players Association (NBRPA) to help former NBA, WNBA, ABA players and Harlem Globetrotters transition into life after the game.

Thomas re-joins the Timberwolves after a professional playing career which included a season with his hometown Timberwolves (2004-05). A Minneapolis native and graduate of Roosevelt High School, Thomas was a four-year standout for the Golden Gophers (1993-97). Thomas logged a professional career that included NBA stops with Boston, Toronto, Minnesota, Memphis, Atlanta and New Jersey, in addition to playing professionally overseas in several countries. He was originally taken by the New York Knicks with the 25th overall pick in the 1997 NBA Draft.

“I would like to thank Glen Taylor and Ethan Casson for providing me with the opportunity to rejoin the organization in a new and exciting role,” said Thomas. “They say ‘home is where the heart is’, and that rings especially true for me, which is why I am so elated to be working with the Timberwolves and Lynx to expand their footprint in the Upper Midwest.”

In his role as Vice President of Community Engagement, Thomas will be responsible for overseeing the Timberwolves and Lynx community relations efforts, managing and growing the organization’s basketball academy, and developing a NBA/WNBA alumni program. Thomas will begin his duties with the Timberwolves and Lynx on Tuesday, May 30.

“We are excited to bring John back to the Timberwolves and Lynx, and are looking forward to seeing him lead our efforts in his new role,” said Ethan Casson, Timberwolves and Lynx Chief Executive Officer. “John’s experience and skill set are a unique match for these three areas of our organization, and we’re thrilled to advance all of these areas to a new level with his return to the Timberwolves and Lynx family.”