Hi, this is Gigi Preston. And this is portfolio. Well, the countdown continues for the Minnesota Timberwolves were still more than a year away from that first game, but the pieces are starting to fall into place in a big piece of the puzzle was picked up this week. When the Timberwolves hired former NBA player Billy McKinney at their director of player Personnel always with us in the studio today and he's prepared to answer your question. So you may not answer them well or correctly, but they don't give it any place game face on to make a good try your questions for Billy McKinney are welcome here on this portfolio to 276 thousands are phone number give us a call with questions for Billy McKinney of the Minnesota Timberwolves 2276 thousand or phone number here on sportfolio.Billy McKinney finishing the Whirlwind tour of the Twin Cities how much longer you here for Billy through Tuesday. I'm going to do some extensive house shopping this weekend in a couple days when we get some things organized with Bob Stein about our schedule on progressing it progression on hiring other Personnel in the basketball Department. Then I've got to go back to Chicago and pack up things and head back for the Twin Cities and make myself comfortable is home now and yes it is and I tell you what, I'm very excited JG about moving here to this area reminds me a lot of an area that played in my first couple of years in the NBA was Kansas City. It's the same homey feeling the people are very warm and friendly and helpful. And the people in Timber was organization that received me with open arms and it's just a great situation and come into that you have family back home and Chicago to bring up with you my wife in a dog. I think my mom and my brothers are going to stay there. But but but your dog is the only young and have it at the house so you might be a little McKinney's about time now.I travel too much to make those kind of things happen. If I could get the same lied about why hasn't got any kids cuz I'm never home. It's a good reason, I guess that you can understand that I'm starting to run out of excuses because when I was a player at come home from a road trip, and you say well, I'm a little tired. I got to play tomorrow night. So you can't ruin your legs for the next night, but now I don't play anymore. So I have no reason to save up that energy to watch a part of the brain. Ya Minnesota Timberwolves to 276 thousand open phone America were talking basketball today with the master builder Pillsbury Lake thing Thursday night owl newness and I were going to go over there and watch the game tonight going out to dinner with some of the people in the front office and I didn't get a chance to go over but that's something that I will be very involved with in the in the summer time is watching a lot of December lakes in the Twin City area because it every once in awhile. You'll find a diamond in a rough out there that might be able to come in and help you bulk. Sure, how many of there are some guys in that league would have had to some some Pro experience anyway, and is we go through the process of adding four more teams are in the next 2 years some of those guys might bubble up as potential NBA ball players plus will not only that you also get a chance to look at the Young Talent college kids and stand some of those guys you might see a couple years away in one of things did as a player I used to speak at a lot of camps at colleges across the country. And so while I was there, I'd always want to work out it and work with a couple of the players and now that I'm in The Scouting and Personnel evaluation, there's some of those guys that are coming out of school now, that's a boy then a couple years. This guy has a chance to be a good player. So you start to develop your files in formal e informal and players just threw this kind of impromptu type of session, you know, it is you get into this job now about how much of the year do you think you'll actually watching basketball players coming between now and the day you guys take the core for the first time will you be watching basketball personally literally every day. I'm near you know right now there's they seem to be pushing NBA Season back into August the Championships being late now in the draft going into July, I believe next year. He'll get it as soon as the draft is over. You have your rookie camps or free-agent camps. Then you start your all the teams get involved in their division of Summer legs. And you go to the LA summer league which takes you through mid-august and now you start getting ready and prepared you got it may be a little down time of no games. No USB l no CBA from mid-august through maybe mid September. So what you're watching basketball at least 10 months out of the year and then by mid-september you're getting ready for NBA training camps and that's right exhibition season starts usually in the first week of October and then and then it starts and you don't stop until really after the draft. I just so people know where are reminded you've been doing basically the same kind of work for the Chicago Bulls as the the assistant general manager that your title. That's right. And I'm glad you put it that way. My official title is assistant vice president of basketball operations, which translates into assistant general manager in that would have been easier on the business card save a link. Anyway. Yeah, does your job very quiet to General Manager Billy or is general manager and play some more business side operation that you won't have to get involved with the general manager does implies more business at operations. I will be doing some of those things as far as I'm putting together suggesting a budget for the scouting operation both pro and college but Bob will have the major responsibilities and handling those things. I'll get involved with him to continue my eye progression in training for that position one of these years, but they'll be for now nobody in the organization with the title general manager right or president of basketball operations or anything like yes right now as as we have it set up which could change Bob myself in the head coach will have major in And to all of the Personnel decisions that we make okay, Billy McKinney Our Guest on sportfolio. It's 9 minutes after 12 here on ksjn 1330 MJG Preston and believe me. I have an hour's worth of stuff to talk about with Billy but they're not shy about opening the phones and letting you have a crack in it to 276 thousand is a phone number bill. You should be warned that we have we can go programs will go until 12:30. Everyone seems to eat between 12 and 12:30. We will go with them till 12:30 often without a phone call and then we will have five people waiting at 1 on the program is over cuz they all call late. Okay, I won't take it personal we we we get ready for that now in your job as your assistant GM with the bulls you did a lot of the same kind of player evaluation scouting all the kind of stuff you're going to be involved in here. So I take it the two up until now been watching the basketball league the United States basketball leave the different summer professional leagues around are there even in this day of expansion many NBA prospects in his legs Billy I think so and I think that the good thing about the USB. CVA, I haven't had a chance to watch the six one under leg that much so far is that it's a great opportunity for players that maybe lack the NBA skills coming out of college, but they can go to these legs for a year or two and get substantial playing time and improve those scales perfect example is one of the things I do during the years I have going at Scout the CBA quite extensively in the event that we have on a roster change an injury what we have to bring a guy in and that way we were able to watch players develop another big competition with that is a lot of players are going to Europe now because they are being offered pretty good Financial Security to go there instead of playing in the CBA the problem with that if there's a player that really wants to be involved in NV at some point. It's much more difficult to scout a player consistently in Europe than it is in the CBA. That's one of things. I want a lobby with Bob Stein for if you're listening Baba, there's a couple of good players over there. Riviera. I think I need to stay over there for a couple of weeks and check out. It doesn't seem like you get as many guys back from Europe. I suppose for one day because of the money. I mean CBA money is not great at all. But guys in Europe for making a pretty decent living in a cultural change. That's right. And I think that's a big part of it. How wealthy is a player to adjust to the cultural changes of these different countries the CV a dozen play great, but I think there's trade-offs. Maybe we'll go over there to your open and make the money and have some stability there, but I think also it lessens your chance of being noticed by an NBA team in and when I talk to players about that thing, are you going to go to Europe? Are you going to come to our camp? It's a decision that they have to make. I tried to explain it in the pros and cons and let them make their own decision. I haven't gotten to the arm-twisting bit just yet. But if you have a guy go down with the with the injury and you're looking to sign a guy with 10-day contract you just get on the phone. You got a guy from Pensacola or whatever that's available right now. You've seen him maybe recently, you know how he's playing I suppose you noticed Transportation getting Back from Europe eat up too much money. They really make it worthwhile for anybody. What happens to is. I think if you keep going if you go to Europe, you have to reclaim your amateur status and you can only do it twice before you can't go back to your I didn't know so now those players have to make a decision. Do I want to stick around here and be a 10-day contract player or do I want to stay in your hair for they've got me a novella driving the Alfa romao and Maze and everything else. That's true. That's right. You know, I had an offer between my sixth and seventh year in the league to go to Greece and play and this team or came over and watch me play and offered me three times the money I was making as an NBA player and that year was the year that I was traded from the Denver Nuggets and which I was a starter playing 32 minutes of game are not very good team playoff team and I was traded to San Diego Clippers, which I don't have to comment on the situation there and it was a very attractive offer to me and I was saying, how do I go to Italy? I have relative. Play believe it or not. But I said no that's and I'm pretty sure I've been traded so much that you adapt to being a different places, but I had to decide was that going to be best for the long-term goals a Deli McKinney Al course I decide to play with the Clippers and went through a very a character-building year does face you could put on it. This time last year. We had the Lance Bass from Minneapolis to you started his collegiate career. Nebraska rewind up at North Dakota state is pretty big kid about 6:10 and was a real good division 2 inside guy and he went overseas and he's played in Europe and I thank you in Israel for 4 years. Now. It must be nice guy in the world and he said that they just made the decision early on that. He didn't want to live the life of the 10-day contract guy in yo, Chris Englert was a pretty good friend isn't just made a good living on 10-day contracts and he's got about these just about got his Law School tuition paid for when he finally gets out of the business, but Lance kind of like the idea of just settling down over there and that he really seemed excited about the chance to get Other cultures he's married and a couple little kids and stuff and they grow up fluent in two or three different languages. But he made the conscious decision that he wanted to get the stability in the money from Europe and he could accept the cultural difference. It's an important decision that a player has to make just as an executive has to make a decision about a possible career change. He had to look at his long-term goals and also be realistic about his abilities on his contributions to a certain organization. So the fact that he was able to realize that I'm not maybe I'm not going to cut it to hear. It takes a very big person to make that kind of a statement about herself, but it tells you that the guy knows his limitations knows priorities. Difference at least you got yourself together. That's right. When did you start thinking about the administrative side of the business? Probably all my life because that being 6 feet tall. Everybody said he's never make it I was going to tell people Billy McKinney looks like an absolutely normal human being. I mean you did this guy does not have NBA pituitary case stamp on him at all. It's been a benefit to because now you don't have to worry about looking at you except for like you said people see me and they said there's no way this guy's an NBA player and it really helped me as a player one of the former University of Minnesota players Michael Thompson, we played against each other. We're always vying for the scoring title. Yes. He used to tell me that I look like a ball boy that I look so young. I look so small. I said, well, that's great to know these guys come out there and 6. Find me look at mini say so I'm going to have an easy night tonight and let their defenses down and I have a great night against them. I lost my train of thought him where we started off. Anyway, talk about your your desire to get in the administrative and well as a player one of the things that I that I really did as I was always involved in the interaction interesting interaction between the Pirates in the front office. So you started to develop philosophies and how you would handle different situations when they came up. How would you handle it when you had to tell a guy that he was traded. Did you want to read about it in the paper to you want to go to him and set him down and say this is a possibility. It's nothing personal about your abilities, but we see a chance to help our team and prove and not only that the other team wants you that much more so I can be a positive move for you. What happens when you cut a guy how do you deal that? Because that's a very tough issue and an esta if you saw the movie Bull Durham in the manager says back and says sign this is the toughest job in a manager has and it really is because you are telling a guy that I am not going to pay you for this job and it would be like going out for Summer job interview and being rejected and it's very tough because now you putting a lot of physical energy energy into it as well as mental. So I start developing those ideas and watching the organization that I played with and how they handle do scenarios. How did they interact with the community how important was that to the overall operation of the basketball team? So now when I was through playing I had some very well formed ideas of how I would fit in and run an organization must have been a big advantage to having played for a number of different organizations as you did you probably saw the whole spectrum of the coaches general managers the works exactly. That's a great Point JG. If you play with one organization, you are a tune to one way of thinking and doing things and a guy my experience has been well traveled with playing with the five teams in seven years. I was able to take a look at these different organizations in and take the good from each that happened there and you of course you eliminate two things that you don't think R&R necessarily positive your curiosity and managerial decisions and behavior that you grew up with that in your family anywhere you have parents or other relatives that were involved in similar kind of jobs and different businesses or not. Really? I my dad I've got to say this my mom and dad were separated very early age and I was able to be successful coming from a broken home. So any of the people that hear that you can't be successful coming from a broken home, you're crazy. But my dad was a very intelligent man. It didn't rub off on me though. He owns a gas station a laundromat a landscaping business and all the same time. Yes, and one of the things that I did as a youngster and I said this influence me, is that as a youngster growing up. I was one of those guys that always had a job and I always had money in my pocket and so I became a kind of a hustler I when I wanted things I wanted to be able to provide for myself. So I would say if there was any kind of formal training or some kind of thing that push me toward management was Just maybe just didn't want that my dad had on on that and also my mom when my dad did leave she work three different jobs, really and so you learned how to manage a lot of different things a family and it's like running a business when you're running a family and you got six children live with your mom but yet maintain some contact with your dad for the years. Yes, very very limited and my dad passed away when I was 17. I see you know, so but I think the things that I watched him do early on in my life subconsciously they stuck with me and as I got older I started to pick those things up in the in the most amazing thing about that JG as I Went back up over Thanksgiving and had dinner at my mother's house. And one of my dad's friends longtime friends came by and I hadn't seen this guy since I was like in high school and we had an opportunity to talk to you. So, you know I said I got to tell you something. He says I've washed your watch you come through as a high school player College in a professional and he says everybody always said that you were too small to do any said you've accomplished quite a bit and he said you remind me just of your dad now, I didn't know my dad very well, but I just knew from the beginning I just filled the water. That's alright. That's alright. They mop up easy that you know, I tied obviously picked up some things that have helped me in my future life as an adult. I'm not responsible yet though. You got a yes. I have three older brothers and twin sisters. I'm the youngest of six of the runt of the litter. Yeah. And truly I've got a brother that's about six 5, and he was supposed to be the pro athlete in the family, and he probably instilled in me the attitude of thinking that you're the best person on the court and it's telling me I have a attitude up you can accomplish anything that you want and even though he had the ability. He didn't have the mental Outlook to get it accomplished themselves. So I came from pretty athletic family, and I just turned out to be able to learn from their mistakes as athletes in and people in and it helped me become successful portfolio on ksjn 1330 Billy McKinney, Sr. Guess who's the director of player Personnel for the Minnesota Timberwolves. I give me a chance to get a drink of water if I stop asking questions for a while. I'm JG Preston to 276 thousands are phone number. Give us a call. If you have a basketball question for Billy talk about the Timberwolves who are creeping closer every day to 276 thousand the phone number to call here on portfolio. I've barely talked before about seeing players develop in The CBA in the USB L. Is it mostly big guys were still developing at that stage immediacy guard size players who are still improving their skills. So once they're out of college like that, certainly the small players improve. I think you see the the biggest amount of improvement in the big players. For example, there was a player last year that I saw them are quite he was six eight to four. Pepper and he was drafted in the third round of the 1987 draft. He didn't get he didn't make the NBA's first year, but he went to the CBA and I wouldn't saw Eric play probably three or four times this year and the improvement from his senior in college in his first year in the CBA was absolutely tremendous because now this guy you're playing with NBA rules, of course you getting used to that grind in the schedule and the coach had the guy doing probably playing his natural position in ecology with 680 play some Center at six 8 in the We are you going to probably play some small forward and this guy was able to improve your small forwards skills while playing in the CBA and at the end of last year that San Diego Clippers or excuse me, the Los Angeles Clippers pick him up. To plan their roster for the end of the year and I think they re-sign him. He'll be back in Camp with him. So a lot of them are just getting into a different context in the context of the pro game as opposed to the context of the college game sure getting rid of his own defense may be playing a different position that your size will dictate in the pros and then getting comfortable with exactly at that and the good point about that is if you watch the college game now, you see a lot of players playing out of position the other players that are in sinners in college that will be powerful words and small forwards in the Pro. He never guards is basically guard to guard the least of these is a tweener size kind of guy. That's right. And even the guards really you see guys like a guy Stevie to Stephen Thompson at the Syracuse at 6 for but he played Small forward Stevie Thompson as a garden NBA will be a 2-guard or possibly even a point guard. So you have to really analyze that when you're watching a college basketball game in the train. This guy's a great College forward really look at its eyes and say now look at the NBA and say this guy in the NBA, maybe 6:00 6:00 now in playing small forward and power forward in college when NBA he could play point guard or even a big gar position know one thing I noticed you're going down to see some CBA games in Rochester. This year was I guess I was kind of surprised you need to think of how many guys out of college ball don't make it in the NBA in think of all the guys will come out of the school. You see on TV all the time in North Carolina is in the Louisville's in the Kentucky's and whatnot. That don't make in the NBA and you figure all these guys are playing at CBA right? But it seems like there are very few of those guys and a lot of people from smaller schools division 2 schools NAIA schools are or smaller Division 1 programs who you know, maybe as a casual fan or a guy who just follow the top 20 in ever heard of when they were in college. Be all over the CBA. Maybe it's because these are the guys who can benefit more from the the coaching or maybe we're more disadvantage because of their size playing out of position in college is that some of that come to play that is part of it, but the other part of that is the publicity a lot of these college players receive is not actually it's it's good for them as college players, but now it gives the the the armchair basketball expert a really false perception of this guy's true abilities now, he might be a great college player at this position. How about he's going to have to change it to Pro. The other part about that is certain athletic schools receive more publicity than others. So people become enamored with say the top 20 schools because they are pretty consistent year after year. So the guy that goes to a central Arkansas say like a Scottie Pippen receives no publicity. But now this guy ends up being a first-round choice for the Chicago Bulls are going to be pretty darn good. So my job as a director of player Personnel, I have to sift through all of that factitious. Information and say can this guy play at the NBA level? It has nothing to do with the publicity that has PR department puts out or that his radio station is school puts out or even things that some of the college commentators I'll put out. It has to be based on this guy's real value in his abilities. So that that makes our job and in at the NBA level top sometimes because these guys have to promote college basketball and promoted by the players and by the teams and then clearly from looking at NBA roster. You can't count on the colleges to do your pre-screening for you because you guys many NBA stars who come from out of the way basketball spots as you do from the from the traditional top 22 georgetown's and what exactly it. I gave her a example of Scottie Pippen and who plays witch Now you look at Detroit Detroit roster and it got two guys Joe Dumars who went to make me State who ever heard of that place that McNeese State Cowboys and then you got Dennis Rodman who played at Southeastern Oklahoma you remember which one it was like a mere which Oklahoma it was all northeast southeast. I know there's a bunch of them have been there but leave me so, you know, that's one of the things that when you're out scouting that people understand when you're drafting they tend to read the newspapers and in and take these guys words for who are the great players. So of course if you're not familiar with a player your Tennessee is a thing, but I've never heard of the guy he can't play then the cowboy movie but that's not always the case to 276 thousands are phone number on sport fully. We got some Colour standing by to get to will be happy to get to you to 276 thousand year on ksjn 1330. I'm JT, Preston Our Guest is Billy McKinney who's the newly hired director of player Personnel for the Minnesota Timberwolves in the NBA. What a New Brighton. Manny hi. Thanks for waiting conference are the Timberwolves going to be playing in the Midwest Division of the western conference inn in that division is Denver, San Antonio Houston, Dallas, Utah. Sacramento still in that division was moved West the East the Western Conference teams, excuse me will come into town 3 * 10 Bryant the public relations director of the Timberwolves driving down some notes Here in the Timberwolves. First season 8990. You're going to have Charlotte in the Midwest Division teams that what you're saying. So to be to expansion teams in division, Minnesota and Charlotte in the second season, 90 91 the Timberwolves in Miami, Miami Heat will both be in the Midwest Division expansion team does see more frequently and beat up on and then after 1991 will be six teams in your Midwest Division. No other expansion teams just you the three Texas teams Denver in Utah texting preciate that by the other car A new expansion teams. How long before you think the Timberwolves will be a winner. I am putting a time frame of of five to seven years. and I'm a very optimistic person but at but I feel that in order to be successful. The foundation of that is really believing that is going to happen right now. We have put together a very good organization a very talented people who are all pulling in the same direction are our hopes in my hopes as a player Personnel director is to bring in players that fit the same kind of character as a people that we brought into our office staff. That's far so five to seven years. I think we'll start to see some tremendous progress in I kind of get that on the Dallas Mavericks. They've taken they took about five years to really be become a very prominent team in our league. The only problem there is the expansion situation. I was much different than it was then I in the fact that there's four teams coming in and when Dallas came in and 80 which I was expansion draft you player. There's only one there was only one team and of course through the Veracity of Cleveland at that time the Dallas received a lot of first round draft choices. So it might take us a little longer. But the thing I'm really encouraged about and why I came over to Minnesota and the twin city was that we're doing things the right way so that we only have to do it once and then five years Bill your hope is a 500 type of ball Club playoff possibilities. That's that's what your goal is 5 years that that's why I like in Wenatchee World Championship in 5 years that that would make us all look like Geniuses. But yeah just just excitement over but I think what's exciting about the Midwest Division you got some great players coming and you got David Robinson dancing who I would love to have you got a cam Elijah on Alex English. I mean, there's tremendous amount of town and you got the Dallas Mavericks who are absolutely loaded new Tarzan up-and-coming team. So I tell you what, it's you know, NBA basketball hasn't been here in 29 years, but I'm thrilled and I'm sure the people Be thrilled to see this kind of talent coming into town and then putting on the show that they will be decades that I've been a fan. It's always been basically the Celtics in the Lakers and I guess my question is what do you think the essential differences between those two teams through player changes even approaches Management in case the Lakers ownership that keeps them on top of the heat then for the foreseeable future even so there's one thing that's been consistent with both of those ball clubs is that they have had stability and if you look at the teams that have won consistently in the NBA, they've had they've been team that I've had a nucleus of players and maybe six or seven players that have been on that team for 5-years. Of more. So now you always adding that the ancillary players that the role players that will help you but in order to be successful you have to have to build it because if you don't Each time you do you change three or four players are five players a year. A lot of times. You have to change your philosophy on play to accommodate those player to Lakers have had a great nucleus of players in it hasn't helped that they've had some of the talented players that they've had to the same with Boston. I even got a limb and say maybe basketball more than any of the other Pro Sports. They were used to you really benefit from having a group of players playing together cuz it's your right eye means everything from playing style and philosophy on up just to the nuts and bolts of running particular place. It really helps to know each other. That's right. I mean, it's a it's a you know, because they're smaller numbers in basketball as opposed to baseball and football that stability Factor becomes that much more important cuz one guy cares a whole lot more weight. That's right. Well as usual the 12:30 telephone is, they're lined up everywhere when I get to some of these calls if we take a brief break courtesy of mr. Johnson near 2276 thousand is our phone number here on sportfolio on ksjn 1330 Minneapolis-Saint Paul. Billy McKinney the Minnesota Timberwolves Our Guest 27 minutes before 1 to take some more your calls right after this. Good afternoon. This is Mark ice. Did I hope you stay tune to ksjs on 1330 throughout the day today coming up at 1 this afternoon and it's the weekend review on this afternoon's program. We take a good long look back at the Democratic National Convention of the past week in Atlanta. Also on the program to look at prospects for peace in the Persian. Gulf will have many other stories as well on the weekend review coming up at 1 this afternoon near on ksjn 1330. Mega markdown take after George Busey there that ventriloquism you standing over across a glass. He wasn't moving his lips when he did that announcer. That's great clips. I forgot about that. If you didn't get that one. There's no sense explained. All right back to the telephones to 276 thousands portfolio Burnsville High Bob back Port of Stockton and Hanson. And also what kind of job did you think of the Browns going to do at San Antonio and Stockton and I think there's another guy you left out of there is pretty talented player is Darrell Griffith. I think they're one of probably the most underrated back horse Inn in the lake and John Stockton of course has started to really become a rising star in this league. And if you look at it is taking him probably about a three-year period before he's reached this level by and he looks like a basketball player than you do that. That's right. But Bob Hansen another hand of a Big Ten player in Iowa has been a player that evolved into a very tough solid consisting player overall for 5 year. And it's a it's a case with those guys now have played together for quite a bit and it's starting to show of course in their progress, but they've done a great job there Utah. That was a thing that I applied for that they've taken their time. They took their lungs early as as a team and they've built slowly through the draft through trades in. Like I said, they're one of the team that knocking at the door, they probably should have upset the Laker but they didn't but they're going to be back for a number of years with John Stockton and Karl Malone. There aren't too many teams in this league that have a two-man punch like that y'all we're not not only that you got a guy like thurl Bailey. Sure Mark Eaton has developed into a very good center now. I mean, I hope your day was struggling but now he's he's he's blocked shots. That was his only asset when he came in and Banks. Before but now he can score a he's doing a lot of different things and that team has been built over a period gears in here in Bob Hansen's name reminds me that they drafted Jeff Mauro out of Iowa like 5 minutes of Jeff mosing. I think he'll Minnesota with ears just killed him come off the bench at three or four 3-pointers in a row and just bury the Gophers. I mean, I'm sure you've seen quite a bit of him over the years. You think he's got a future in the NBA. I think he does this especially now with like I said, you got the expansion that's going to open up for Forty-Eight more jobs. But Jeff mole is a a competitor Lil Scrappy guy that's right in and he might be short on physical ability, but he makes it up with those other with the other things has his brightness level of as far as playing the game knowing the game being a very good fundamentally Sound Player you can live and when was a player like like Jeff Mauro Bob Hansen to 276 thousand back to the phone's Iran's portfolio going to st. Paul. Set apart a very good job in San Antonio. Now, they've done a good thing over the last couple years. They've been a little down or they've been rebuilding our they've been waiting for David Robinson. They've got two players in place now and Larry Brown has proven that he can be successful continuously at every level for that was a a great move for San Antonio to pick him up as a coach and it's going to make the Midwest Division very tough and Robinson comes in the week when you do in the fall of 90s time, he comes in next year, I believe Tens, write down 91 read it free to change you follow me to not yet. So you guys can I mean maybe you can but I mean. Pile of money is a guy really that good. I mean, that's a lot of dough. Let me say this JG and that that's a great question because people always say we're all that guy's not worth $1000000 or he's not worth $700,000 the fact that somebody paid him that money says that he's worth it. I hear you think if you look at Larry Brown's track record, it's been great. And so obviously they felt that was what he was worth to them. So yes, I think in his track record also, he's been very successful at at all levels. I was wondering Lot of fans walk the state of Minnesota and five state area. They've been seeing the timber wolf holding in the stores for months now and people are saying where are they going to the park and facilities and everything? I realized downtown. They been leveling buildings everything but I wonder why don't lie or you as a horse for the program. Could you kind of lay down here for bandsaw? Just what the time schedule is for the building and what's the Colosseum is going to be around or just going to be running the arena that they're building in Downtown Minneapolis Tim Bryant the Timberwolves PR directors in the studio, right if you got 10 microphone available here cuz I know Tim can answer some of these questions go ahead can start from there was where the new Arena will be. Let's start from the from the top though the first year the Timberwolves in 1989-90 will play in the Metrodome the second year. We're scheduled to move into the new Arena which We located on 1st Avenue North in Downtown Minneapolis between 6th and 7th Street. It's the First Avenue Entertainment District right next to Butler Square familiar with work with where that is and it again and I'm new to the Twin Cities to so I'm learning all this too. And that's why I appreciate Don's Don's question. I can certainly appreciate it. As far as parking goes down to have 10,000 parking spaces within a three-block area circling the arena down all those parking spaces aren't there yet, but they're going to be because they're building 3 parking garages right in the vicinity to of which will be connected to the arena by Skyway those two garages themselves will think one will has about 3000 cars another one about 1,800. So this is all going on a literally where the new i-394 will come exactly when you get off the ramp on 394 you go right into the The Pride into one of the parking garage is house design ride, and he the accessibility. I think it is tremendous is a new citizen. I can appreciate it. I 90 Four runs right down there Highway 12 and threaten i-394 will go there Highway 55. I think it'll be easy for folks all throughout the the Twin Cities area Decor the folks from st. Paul to make an easy access into the new Arena and I'll tell you the plan that they have for the new Arena. I'm sure when Ed was on the show here at Rubenstein he went over it, but they really have thought of just about everything. I think I'm all the way from a place to change the kids dirty diapers to escalators to get fans up to their seating areas of the is better be out of diapers buy them when they're in big trouble the enclosure I mention from the parking ramp set to the to the arena and eventually and this will be probably a couple of years after the building is completed. But if eventually there will be Skyway connection from the arena to other parts of downtown. So I literally you can you can go to you can park go to dinner go shopping and walk to the arena for the game and never have to to you know, put on your coat that mean in the Winter in a Lobby were going to 20 ticket Windows where you don't have to stand outside in the in the cold that to buy tickets are pick up tickets sell. The details are really amazing. I think of the rain and I think it'll be an enjoyable experience for everyone in the area going to be worth the wait. I suspect to 276 thousands are phone number on sportfolio. Got some lines lit up for Billy McKinney. Who's the director of player Personnel for the Minnesota Timberwolves next Highbury. Hi. How you doing? Welcome to Minnesota this hotbed of a basketball. I tell you what, I was telling a Tim this morning. I've been here since Thursday. And once I knew that I was going to accept the position. I've been so excited about coming to the Twin Cities and working with the timber wolf that I haven't been able to eat and I'm not on a diet so I don't need to lose weight, but it's it's really great to be here and I like to take the take this time. I haven't had the chance to tell Carly Rae. Marv wolfenson and Bob Stein and the rest of the Timberwolves organization have just this is just such an exciting opportunity for me for maybe a lot of reasons but one reason is that I've always been a person that's been very enthusiastic and always been a guy that's been a catalyst for different organizations that I played for and I come in here and work with this organization and everybody has that feeling that there every day is a upbeat day and that's a great environment to to be a part of did you did, you know, did you know better? I tell you what, but you know, you're not very far off. One of the reasons Bob hired me at 33 is that he felt that if we did have trouble on the court that I was young enough that I could go back and help the ballclub. So I'm going to be for serving a couple of wearing a lot of different hats with the ball Club. About the division 2 team will be playing at has there been any flooded wall to putting together a division of the expansion teams seems to be back in the early days of expansion Hockey League to keep the new teams competitive. They put together divisions with the new teams and with 14 is coming out together. It was in a two year. And the potential of putting one or two of the weaker teams has affected developed the division that's more competitive and with in that division not within the entire lick that shows numbers and that would be more acceptable for the home fans in the wall of the expansion cities. Now, I know there might be some negatives were around one or two teams make show up less frequently for the stars and I know the visiting stars on the visiting team are important, but the overall trust I think is to have a more successful. And a better record with your home theme might be more important than the other Factor. What's your thinking? I'll let you guys talk about this reaction is one of the great deals for the expansion franchises getting all the great players in the NBA in here. And I think I respect most Minnesota fans would rather be able to see you an extra Michael Jordan triple next to Larry Bird drip or next to LA Laker tripped and see you as well. That's that's the thing about it is I Miami and Orlando will both end up in the Atlantic division eventually in a play each other all the time that it was Charlotte in Minnesota will be in the Midwest Division but one of the reasons also I'm Excuse me, Charlotte will be in the Central Division eventually and we will be in the Midwest Division 4 years from now on and off shakes down but one of the reasons that you can't lump everybody into one division is To bring all those different teams into an area is going to be very important. Not only are you exposed to the home team but you're being exposed to NBA basketball and one of the problems that the lake is I wouldn't say it's hard because there's so many positives about the leg as when I first came into the league 10 years ago, you played every team six times and they changed the format for expenses that the West Coast teams would come east once and the East Coast team to go to West Point now that teach the East Coast teams out of seeing eye Michael Jordan the west coast and does he Michael Jordan. Of course the West Coast teams going to the east they don't see karime or magic in those players much and I would like to see a balance for those guys are able to come in more because it generates such excitement. I think the NBA officials with the would have a hard time with the universe has a Division champion from the expansion division going to the playoffs right away or some such thing at the that would I'm sure create problems for some people it's going to be tough whether they align all the teams in one division or not, and it's not going to be Easy task, but the leg is getting so good that regardless of where you play you're going to have to face these other people and I don't want to Charlotte come in here any more than necessary cuz your uniforms are ugly. I don't like those uniforms. I haven't gotten a chance to look at those yet that song on TV the other night. They had Kelly try puke out there modeling them didn't like you you be the judge yourself silly. They weren't for me down here. I just was talking about when the NHL expand did they put all the expansion teams into into one division the st. Louis Blues won the division the first couple of years, but they were blown out in the Stanley Cup in and I mean there really was no purpose for the blues to be in a to be that far except yet did create fan excitement in that City, but it really gave a false perspective of the balance of power in the league and I think that's what the NBA's wanting to create. I mean they wanted to create a more realistic right now. I think that you're world-beaters when you're not quite ready to play with right? Tim that is as far as an organization standpoint some people get the impression that you're Successful by winning winning. The success is always judged by how many games you win and say Frances this year when I was with Chicago we had trouble getting past the first round of now when we won the first round there was speculation that we're going to play Cleveland who is a great ballclub coming up or play, Milwaukee. Now all the writers in Chicago said it would be better if the Bulls play the Bucks because they beat the Bucs V game if you want in the series, but now to me I said no, let's play Cleveland because now you really have a true perception of where your organization is and where it needs to go and I think when you're building for long-term, you have to know those things as quickly as possible and not get cocky about it. That's right to 276 thousands are phone number on sportfolio Billy McKinney the director of player Personnel for the Minnesota Timberwolves hear Tim Bryant the director of public relations Is hear that your proper title to director Communications this week, but they're waiting to see how well I communicate MJG Preston you listen to ksjo on 1330 and we have Nick on the line from Bloomington. I'm wondering if you guys would if I believe you'd agree with your assessment I run into a I've been a tough time from Chicago to South Bend Cubs fans all my life and I've been a Knicks fan for the last 20 some years. So I'm pretty much an eternal optimist. But I asked to talk to the Minnesota people to get a little down on on it's going to take years and years. But I remember when I was growing up and when the Cavs and Blazers came in and you had your John Warren Jr. Walt Wesley that collected these bad. These guys would be no. I mean look how many years it say cannot so much for the blazes between the other first expansion. She's been I've got I've got potential Alonzo Mourning's out of high school going into the NBA possibly. So I always try to tell people that hate, you know, it's not going to be and I'm glad I'm glad to hear your optimism five to seven years. I think the caliber of player is just ten times better than when I was growing up back in the mix Hay Day, I should say you're absolutely right about that. And and that's what as a Personnel director. I have that perspective because I'm out watching these guys every year I'm saying that in a three or four-year. In another three year. There's going to be another very good and talented crop of Sinners coming out. So when you're building something you could build quickly. Yeah, but you might Play shaky Foundation. We are taking an approaching. Our foundation is going to be very strong and it's going to help us breathe. Success Bullseye. I was in New York City on the night of the big Tyson Spinks fight in and that was an eye Oakley was traded and I just when I put this together that you can imagine after 20 years of suffering here Oakley Strickland, you and Jackson and I think one of the most underrated forwards Gerald Wilkins, what do you think about the next? I think they are talented team and Rick Rick Pitino have done a tremendous job in that first year. Now, the thing about it Patrick Ewing has taken a lot of heat over the last three years about his non-playing because he came in with the big 30 million-dollar contract and people expected Patrick to take them to the world championship a right away, but there's an adjustment. For certain positions the point guard position the small forward fight, which is absolutely Turn on the center position. It takes those guys a little time to develop and you have like I said, you have to build slowly and I think there's a guy you're missing a team Johnny Neumann who is tired. Now, they're putting your pieces together slowly. They added a piece in Oakley because they have had some concern of their power forward position. So we helped New York get stronger. Excuse me, Chicago help New York get stronger. But Chicago New York. Also help Chicago get stronger by supplying them with a very much needed Center that's going to help him for three years immediately and a future Center and will Perdue so when you make a trade in this league, you always have to be Equitable with the other party. You can't stick a guy up because there's going to be a time when you have to make a deal with the guy again that he'll he'll return the favor. So you try to make trades in the best interest of a both teams in that the trade between, New York. And Chicago help both teams, and it's going to help NBA basketball for those who don't know Billy had a lot to do with that trade in the Chicago front office and I guess caught probably your Sheriff heat in Chicago for trade in the league leading rebounder for a guy who's got the the tag any way of being a chronically injured underachiever. That's right. And there's just two things about that you make to grade points number one you trade the leading rebounder in NBA. He's been a leading rebounder for the past 2 years, but in order to get something of value, you have to give something in value in this league and the thing about that we had a specific need going into the draft. Our priority is it was issue with to get a sinner? Why did we have to get her Center? Dave Corzine is 32 years old. He had a perfect year last year and that he didn't have any injury Davis had history of back trouble are other backup singers. Mike Brown was picked in the expansion draft in was traded to Utah our third backup singer who played very little or Big Ten player. Granville Waiters is a free agent and after 2 years of not playing in Chicago probably has no intention of coming back. So now you've left with a big void in the center. And for the bolts for gas, 5020 meme on they absolutely had to get a center and they got to Sinners Like I said one guy Bill Cartwright. He will come in and averaged 20 points and eight rebounds a game. Now, the positive aspect of bills injuries is the fact that now he's been injured for like a five year. The last year-and-a-half to two years. He's been healthy those five years that he was injured in effect saved him some basketball life because he was Rehabilitation and he wasn't taking that you're hounding. So he actually is not a thirty-one-year-old center in in in in those terms. So the ball I did help themselves tremendously with that trade as did the New York Knicks. Thanks for the coffee maker. Melt themselves tacos really needed some Lowe post scoring ability in New York needed that got to clear the board. That's right. JD. The other thing about that trade is like I said as it as a Personnel director, you have to look into the future and say what is next year going to bring Chicago has two first-round picks next year. I'm really New Jersey's pick and it looks like they could be a lottery pick in their own. Now The Sinner is coming out of that mention. The next really talented Center crap is coming out in 3 year the Alonzo Mourning crap. The next couple years there is a paucity of Sinners that are going to be available to select. So you better get them now. That's right that you will you said three years for Alonzo Mourning Billy know that would just be after his Junior. You're a college you count on you guys coming out early when they're that good that was a miscalculation, but that's something that you always have to consider as evident that there's a possibility that a guy like a Jr. Reid might decide to file for hardship this year this year, but we had your junior year. We had five to seven hardship cases and Tito Horford Jerome Lane and and that always influences the draft because usually if a guy comes out hardship historically speaking, he's usually a top-10 pick so if he can get his education and get his training and I am early on her show today. I was talking about a player named Tito Horford. Yeah who left Miami after sophomore year tr71 245-pound and he's got to a body built by Mercedes. Batido needed to stay in school another two years to develop his basketball skills. He is not there as a player right now, but obviously somebody said Tito there's a paucity of Sinners. I think if you come out of school, you're going to be a top-10 pick up in Miami and up in Milwaukee in the second round. Belay. Okay. Okay, so that that's where he is, but Tito also should have been aware that you have to be realistic about you're planning abilities. I think maybe somebody convinced them that he should read this scrapbooks. Another caller on the year for Billy McKinney here on sportfolio on ksjn 1330 in St. Paul John John. How you doing? It's just exciting to be here in a minute ago. And I wanted to know did you mention on the earlier about where you play your your college about seems to me. Did you did you play at Northwestern I was that little guy that they said wouldn't pass the ball in reality. I was threatened by the Educators in my teammates to shoot it all the time. So I did how the guy that follow instructions very well, especially when my life was on the line remember seeing at Williams Arena few times, but just for background noise reduction. Maybe you all hang up and listen you can mention to her tell us who some of the Gophers you play it again seems to me you were there when Ray Williams was there and some of the other people but I I kind of like to hear if you have any memories of playing against the Minnesota people. Freshman they had a guy named Rick McCutchen. I believe or I believe that was a very good player. They had Peter Gail cut Peter Gill cuz he was the first player to start at the Bahama connection. Then you had Osborne Lockhart Flip Saunders who came in as a freshman as I did Mikhail was a freshman when I was a senior Michael Thompson Mark landsberger the other year. He was here. That's right. Ray Williams that Minnesota team was absolutely stacked with talent and we managed to beat them at Northwestern. They returned the favor by beating us in the affair in the Twin Cities all the time since we're talkin Golden Gophers Billy. I'll see what you can say about. This one says got this thing. We're even Charlie Waller. She doesn't like no muscle has Bill Musselman coming in to coach this team. Rightly my gut reaction the outside. I've always respected. The Timberwolves coach will be a guy a lot like you a lot like a lot of the other people I've seen in that front-office guys, who are younger? A lot of NBA experience getting their big break and you have the talent to go with it as opposed to a guy like Bill who is older. I mean, he's proved himself as a coach, but he hasn't got this much NBA experience and did he see him again? He's he's he's not a guy in his thirties or whatever. He's a guy who's moving farther down a line talk about the coach against you if you wouldn't what you see about it. Well, you told me that you just said that you saw coach that had some of my characteristics of being young aggressive very knowledgeable and talented. I told you I'm going to have to wear the number of hats in this business of candidates that we've talked about that and Bob and I have to sit down with him this next week or two and discuss that more because our timetable as such that we'd like to have a coach in here by the end of the summer time how we're going to have to have a coach that number one is a as a very good coach you you don't hire a coach unless he's a good coach. I mean knowing basketball being a very good communicator a motivator and The coach. Going to have to be very patient. I'm coming into an entire situation and insensitive to some of the concerns that will have is a start-up franchise. They all also the clothes that we hire it's going to have to be very big on development of players because in the next couple years with the shortened drafted to round draft draft is going to be very important that you take these players that might be CBA players and develop them quickly so that they can help you along the road in winning and becoming successful franchise. And will you have a say in the higher in the coach them Billy will be answering you to some extent. Yeah. I always hate the terms answering to me and I always like to think of it as that we all work together and you know what the one of the things I've been impressed about. The organization is that I said it everybody checkster Eagles at the door when they come into the office everybody is receptive to help to open ideas. But yes Bob and I will I will have major input into the cellar selection of a head coach. I wish we didn't cuz it's been a lot of fun to Billy McKinney the director of player Personnel for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Thank you so much for coming over preciate it, thank U G A G Thang these guys over here at David O'Neill who took care of the telephones and Randy Johnson did the technical stuff. Thanks to Winking or associate producer in absentia. Thanks to you for listening. I can't think anybody else to think but come back next week cuz we have a good program. I know we are already scheduled it. Okay, so we'll see you again next Saturday same time. Same place here on sportfolio on JG pressed and thanks for listening. Return to ksjn 1330 Minneapolis-Saint Paul the week in review is next.