Timberwolves Announce Basketball and Coaching Staffs
Minneapolis/St. Paul (Dec. 7, 2011) The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced the completion of head coach Rick Adelman's coaching staff with the hiring of veteran NBA coaches Terry Porter, Jack Sikma, T.R. Dunn and Bill Bayno. Collectively, Adelman and his coaching staff bring more than 160 seasons of coaching (NBA, CBA, WNBA and college) and playing experience (NBA and college) to the Timberwolves bench. The team also announced that R.J. Adelman was named the team's director of player personnel/game preparation, Shawn Respert and David Adelman were hired as player development coaches, and Pat Zipfel will be the team's new advance scout.
"I'm excited to be able to add such a wealth of experience and talent to our coaching staff," said Timberwolves head coach Rick Adelman. "I have worked with Terry and T.R. for many years, with Jack for the past four seasons, and have known Bill for many years. Each of them brings valuable coaching experience and a vast knowledge of the game to our staff."
"In addition to assembling a top-notch coaching staff, we are pleased to be adding R.J., Shawn, David and Pat to our basketball staff," said David Kahn, President of Basketball Operations. "They will provide invaluable direction and assistance to their respective areas."
TERRY PORTER - Assistant Coach
Terry Porter joins Rick Adelman's staff this season, reuniting the pair that led the Portland Trail Blazers to six consecutive playoff appearances and two trips to the NBA Finals in the early 1990s. Porter's coaching career began as an assistant to Adelman with the Sacramento Kings in 2002, and includes head coaching stints with the Milwaukee Bucks (2003-05) and Phoenix Suns (2008-09). Porter was also an assistant coach with the Detroit Pistons from the 2006-08. Most recently, Porter served as an alumni ambassador for the Blazers during the 2009-10 season before joining their broadcast team last season.
A Trail Blazer legend, Porter spent his first 10 seasons in Portland, including six with Adelman at the helm. Porter remains the franchise's all-time leader in assists and three-pointers made, and ranks second in points, free throws made and steals. He was a two-time All-Star for the Blazers.
Porter's hiring also represents a return to the Timberwolves, where he played from 1995 through 1998. The 6-3 guard also played one season in Miami and three with San Antonio, finishing his career with averages of 12.2 points, 3.0 rebounds and 5.6 assists in 1,274 career games. Porter's teams advanced to the playoffs in 16 of his 17 NBA seasons.
JACK SIKMA - Assistant Coach
Jack Sikma joins the Wolves this season after spending the previous four seasons on the Houston Rockets' coaching staff. Sikma's coaching career began when he was named as a special assignments coach for the Seattle SuperSonics prior to the 2003-04 season. The former Sonics center was promoted to assistant coach following that campaign.
In 14 seasons in the NBA, Sikma averaged 15.6 points and 9.8 rebounds in 1,107 games with Seattle and the Milwaukee Bucks. A seven-time NBA All-Star, Sikma was also named to the 1977-78 NBA All-Rookie Team and earned 1981-82 NBA All-Defense Second Team accolades.
A 6-foot-11 product of Illinois Wesleyan University, Sikma was selected by the Sonics with the eighth overall pick of the 1977 NBA Draft. Sikma became just the third Sonics player to grab 1,000 rebounds in a season when he pulled down 1,013 boards in 1978-79. He used his tenacity on the glass to help carry Seattle into the playoffs, saving his best for the 1979 NBA Finals against the Washington Bullets when he grabbed 17 rebounds in each of Games Three, Four and Five to help the Sonics capture the league title. He still holds the teams career marks for rebounds and free throws made, while ranking second in blocked shots, third in points (12,034) and fourth in games played (715).
T.R.DUNN - Assistant Coach
A long-time assistant to Rick Adelman, Dunn joins the Wolves staff this season after spending the previous four campaigns with the Houston Rockets. Dunn was also an assistant on the Sacramento Kings coaching staff from 2004 through 2007, with the first two of those three-seasons also being Adelman-led teams.
Prior to joining the Kings, Dunn spent two seasons (2002-04) as an assistant coach for the Denver Nuggets. In 2001-02, Dunn worked as an assistant coach at his alma mater, the University of Alabama. Prior to that, he coached in the WNBA for the Charlotte Sting, serving as head coach in 2000 and as an assistant coach during the 1999 season. Dunn also served a prior stint as an assistant for the Nuggets in 1997-98 and was an assistant coach for the Charlotte Hornets from 1991-97.
During his 14-year NBA playing career, Dunn was named to the NBAs All-Defensive Second Team three times (1983-85) and was considered one of the top rebounding guards in the NBA. He had career averages of 5.1 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 993 regular season games.
Drafted by Portland with the 41st overall pick of the 1977 NBA Draft, Dunn spent his first three campaigns with the Trail Blazers before being traded to Denver. He also played one season with the Phoenix Suns (1988-89) before returning to the Nuggets for his final two years. In 10 seasons as a member of the Nuggets (1980-88 and 1989-91), Dunn scored 3,585 points and became a mainstay in the franchises record books. He still ranks second all-time in steals (1,070), fourth in games played (734) and fifth in minutes played (18,322).
BILL BAYNO - Assistant Coach
Bill Bayno enters his first season on the Wolves bench after spending the previous five years on the Portland Trail Blazers' coaching staff. Bayno was named an assistant coach for the Blazers in 2006, following two years as an international and collegiate scout for the organization.
During the offseason, Bayno has traveled to Africa since 2005 as part of the NBA's Basketball Without Borders initiative. A consultant for the SK Knights of the Korean Basketball League and a former staffer at the Reebok Eurocamp in Treviso, Italy, Bayno also served as a consultant for Caguas Criollos of the National Superior Basketball League of Puerto Rico in 2004.
Bayno was the head coach of the 2003 CBA Champion Yakima Sun Kings, as well as the head coach of Talk 'N Text of the Philippine Professional Basketball Association in 2002 where he led the team to a regular season title and the final round of the playoffs. The New York native also experienced success as the head coach at UNLV from 1995-2000. Bayno's Runnin' Rebels won four conference championships (two regular season and two conference tournament) and earned four postseason berths. His coaching resume also includes assistant coaching positions under current University of Kentucky Head Coach John Calipari at Massachusetts from 1988-95; Larry Brown at Kansas in 1986-87; and P.J. Carlesimo at Seton Hall in 1985-86.
R.J. ADELMAN - Director of Player Personnel/Game Preparation
R.J. Adelman enters his first year with the Timberwolves after spending the previous four seasons on his father's staff in Houston. He will be involved with evaluating players throughout the NBA, working with the coaching staff on game preparation and planning, and overseeing the team's statistical evaluation and analysis. Adelman will also oversee the team's advance scouts and video department.
Before joining the Rockets, Adelman worked as an NBA advance scout for the Seattle SuperSonics. He also served five years as a scout for the Sacramento Kings, including the final three seasons as assistant video coordinator in the Basketball Operations Department.
Before joining the Rockets, Adelman worked as an NBA advance scout for the Seattle SuperSonics. He also served five years as a scout for the Sacramento Kings, including the final three seasons as assistant video coordinator in the Basketball Operations Department.
Adelman joined Maloof Sports and Entertainment after practicing law in Portland, Oregon, working in private practice and as a real estate lawyer for GMAC Mortgage.
Adelman was a four-year letterman in basketball at Willamette University in Salem, Oregon, which won the NAIA Division II National Championship in 1993. After completing his bachelors degree in political science from Willamette in 1995, Adelman earned his law degree from the University of Oregon in 2001.
SHAWN RESPERT - Player Development Coach
Shawn Respert begins his first season in Minnesota after serving three seasons in Houston as the Rockets' Director of Player Programs. Respert will be responsible for assisting in all of the team's player development initiatives. Previously, he was the Director of Basketball Operations for the NBA D-League.
Respert, who spent nearly two years at the D-League offices in New York, also spent two-and-a-half years working in a similar capacity at Rice University as its Director of Basketball Operations.
A former college Player of the Year at Michigan State from 1990-95, Respert was chosen by the Portland Trail Blazers with the eighth overall selection in the 1995 NBA Draft. After having his draft rights traded to Milwaukee, Respert played a total of four NBA seasons with the Bucks (1995-96, 1996-97), Toronto Raptors (1996-97, 1997-98), Dallas Mavericks (1997-98) and Phoenix Suns (1998-99). Following his NBA career, he went on to play four years in the European Basketball League, including stints with Olympiakos, Milano, Near East, Imola and Stargard.
DAVID ADELMAN - Player Development Coach
David Adelman enters his first year with the Timberwolves after spending the past five seasons as head basketball coach at Lincoln High School in Portland, Ore. Adelman will be responsible for assisting in all of the team's player development initiatives.
Adelman went 83-53 in five seasons at Lincoln, leading the Cardinals to Portland Interscholastic district championships in the 2006-07, 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons, while also reaching the Oregon Class 6A state championship final in 2009. Prior to coaching at Lincoln, Adelman was an assistant coach at his alma mater, Jesuit High School in Portland, from 2001-06, helping the team win a state title in 2005. As a player, Adelman helped Jesuit win a state championship in 1999.
Adelman, 30, attended the University of Portland before joining the Jesuit staff. He is in the process of finishing a degree in history from Portland State. Adelman and his wife, Jenny, were married this past summer and reside in Minneapolis.
PAT ZIPFEL - Advance Scout
Pat Zipfel enters his first season as the Timberwolves NBA advance scout after serving in that capacity for the Houston Rockets since 2007. Zipfel will travel throughout the country to watch upcoming Wolves' opponents and prepare scouting reports that the coaching staff will use as one of their tools in formulating game plans.
Zipfel was an advance scout for the Portland Trail Blazers from 2004-07 and held the same position for the L.A. Clippers from 2000-03. During the 2003-04 season, Zipfel was head coach of the New Jersey Squires of the American Basketball Association.
From 1996-99, Zipfel was director of athletics and head basketball coach at Centenary College, where he led the Cyclones to their only postseason appearance in the 1990s. Zipfel was head coach at Bucks County Community College for the 1995-96 season. He worked as a scout with Bertka Views Scouting Service from 1992-94, and prior to that was an assistant basketball coach at The Citadel from 1989-92.
Contact information:
Mike Cristaldi, Minnesota Timberwolves, (612) 673-8405, cristaldi@timberwolves.com
Aaron Seehusen, Minnesota Timberwolves, (612) 673-1607, seehusen@timberwolves.com
Dan Bell, Minnesota Timberwolves, (612) 673-1603, bell@timberwolves.com