Reusse: Wolves’ success noticed by Minnesota hoops royalty

Laurie Kelly is the women’s basketball coach at Gustavus Adolphus. In 2018, she took her daughter Morgan to Madrid as part of a Spanish immersion program. The European season still was underway for Real Madrid.

“I have basketball friends there and they insisted we had to go to a Real Madrid game to see this phenom who had just turned 19,” Kelly said. “We wound up with center court seats. The player was Luka [Doncic].

“I said, ‘He can score, but he’s slow, he’s lazy on defense and there’s no way he’s going to have a big impact in the NBA.’”

Kelly laughed during a phone call Tuesday and said: “Whenever he does something amazing, those Madrid friends send me messages, ‘What do you think about Luka now?’”

She paused for a moment and said: “He’s still slow and doesn’t play defense, but he can score in incredible situations — as he’s showing for the Lakers in this series.

“Luka also can hold and grab, too, and it’s crazy how much of that there is in the NBA now. The game’s so physical, but it’s also great to have a Timberwolves team with a chance to make another playoff run.”

It was suggested that the line for calling fouls in the NBA is raised in the playoffs, as it is for penalties in the NHL and NFL.

“That might be the case in all sports,” Kelly said. “Even in our Division 3 games, they get a little rougher late in the season. The saying among coaches is, ‘No fouls in February.’”

Kelly was perhaps the greatest women’s basketball player in MIAC history as Laurie Trow from 1989 through 1993 for St. Thomas.

Which means she was arriving in St. Paul from Rochester John Marshall at the same time the expansion Timberwolves were bringing back the NBA to Minnesota.

“I was a Timberwolves fan from the start … with a lot of losing," Kelly said. “Right now, it’s crazy; I love Ant — everybody does, but what everyone is seeing is that this is a real team.

“This might be against popular opinion, because people liked KAT, but I think the Julius Randle trade is one of the best ever. To get Randle and [Donte] DiVincenzo for one player has made this a deeper, better team.”

Guide for one-dimensional hockey fans: “Ant” is star guard Anthony Edwards and “KAT” is former star big man Karl-Anthony Towns, now producing big numbers for the Knicks.

Kelly sees this as a tremendous time for basketball in Minnesota — both with the Timberwolves being a contender, the Lynx having reached the WNBA finals last October (you’ll note coach Cheryl Reeve is still whining about the Game 5 officiating), and players such as Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers and the Lynx’ Napheesa Collier bringing historic interest to the women’s game.

“I was at our Final Four this year in Tampa, the arena was packed and people were outside, trying to get tickets,” Kelly said. “It wasn’t that long ago tickets were no problem.”

Kelly coached at Binghamton [N.Y.] University and Northern Arizona before taking over at Gustavus 13 years ago. The Gusties were 29-2 this season, losing in the national quarterfinals.

“It was a great season, but our top six players were seniors or graduates, and they are gone,” Kelly said. “We have work to do for next season.”

John Tauer was playing at St. Thomas at the same time as Laurie Trow was setting records. He’s now the Tommies coach and has developed a relationship with Timberwolves coach Chris Finch.

“It’s not quite the Twins in 1987 and 1991 for hysteria, but what the Wolves have done the past several years, I see the difference in enthusiasm with young kids at our camps,” Tauer said. “The kids love Ant, and he’s growing as a player. We’re discovering he can be a great passer.”

Tauer offered additional accolades for Randle and Jaden McDaniels, and then added his admiration for Finch:

“I think he’s brilliant. With his background, playing and coaching in England and Belgium, he has unbelievable perspective. As a coach, he responds in all moments. And so far, at the end of games, the Wolves have been fresher and have executed better.

“Chris Finch deserves some of the credit for that.”

Tauer paused and said: “He’s a Division 3 guy, you know; played at Franklin & Marshall in Pennsylvania for Glenn Robinson. Glenn coached there for almost 50 years and won well over 900 games (967).

“Robinson made it to one national championship game — 1991. Finch was an All-American on that team. They lost to Bo Ryan’s [Wisconsin-]Platteville team in the title game. When Finch talks about great coaches, he often starts with Glenn Robinson."

Grassroots hoops.

These Wolves are competing at the top and building at the floor.

Maybe even converting a few hockey guys. What’s your thought on the Timberwolves, Mr. Pat Micheletti, my personal hockey expert?

“Julius Randle has a bit of Marcus Foligno in him,” Micheletti said. “He plays with some bite in his game.”