Here are the notable Minnesotans, superfans and celebs at Target Center

When it comes to courtside celebrities, no NBA team compares to the New York Knicks. Cosmopolitan magazine recently rated Madison Square Garden’s star-watching as “better than the Met Gala.”

In Wolves Country, where TV news anchors top lists of local notables, we may not draw Spike Lee, Timothée Chalamet or Martha Stewart. But even for the casual Wolves fan who thought OKC was just an airport code, spotting boldface names in the Target Center crowd can add to the excitement.

Jimmy Goldstein, octogenarian NBA superfan hailing from Los Angeles, was among the famous faces courtside Saturday evening at Target Center for Game 3 of the Western Conference finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder. And arguably the best dressed, in a white cowboy hat and sparkle-adorned Balmain leather jacket he picked up in Paris.

Goldstein, who has seen thousands of games around the country, said Wolves fans have “very good enthusiasm,” though not as much as OKC’s supporters demonstrated at the past two games, which he attended. But he had a good feeling about the Wolves’ chances. “The last six minutes of game two, the Timberwolves played with great intensity,” he said. “If they can play like that, they can win tonight.”

Chef Billy Tserenbat, better known as Billy Sushi of the eponymous North Loop restaurant, says that growing up in Mongolia, watching the NBA felt like a dream. Now that he’s planted on the Target Center hardwood, he says he feels like he’s living that vision. “I love watching the game because it brings everyone together,” he said. “It’s just fans united in the energy of the moment — and right now that energy in Minnesota is absolutely insane.”

Rochester native and rapper Yung Gravy, whose career broke out in 2017 with his hit song “Mr. Clean,” returned to Minnesota from L.A. for Saturday’s game.

Superfan John “Jiggly Boy” Sweeney, known for dancing shirtless with “KG” written on his stomach, attended the game with sons William, 22, and Michael, 19. They first appeared on the Jumbotron with their dad a decade ago when Kevin Garnett made his return to Target Center.

Local streetwear fashion owner Jordan Dye is another superfan and courtside fixture, with his Dennis Rodman-inspired neon hair. “The way that the Target Center energy has been this year and last year ... the whole city just kind of forms around the team,” Dye said. “I think that goes a long way of creating the energy and atmosphere.”

Season ticketholder Ann Ahmed, the James Beard-nominated restaurateur behind Gai Noi, Khâluna and Lat14, was sporting her Edwards jersey and a dazzling Wolves cap made by Tim Conley’s wife. Ahmed said she loves the Wolves for “the fight they have in them” and offered the players tempura-fried incentive: “If they win this Western Conference final, I’ll give them free basil wings for life.”

Former Wolves players Josh Okogie came to support his old teammates. Okogie was with the team for four seasons before he was traded in 2022. He gave Naz Reid and Anthony Edwards hugs and high-fives in the tunnel before they ran out to the court.

“I‘m just here to show love to my brothers, man. You know, making it to the Western Conference finals is no easy feat,” Okogie said. “I miss those guys. They’re my dogs. I got a real personal tie to those guys, so I’m just here to show my love, show my support.”

Asked if they would win Saturday’s game, Okogie said: “I know they’re gonna do it.”

Josh Metellus, a safety for the Minnesota Vikings, was sitting courtside wearing an all-yellow outfit and large chain necklace. The crowd roared when he appeared on the Jumbotron.

ESPN commentators Stephen A. Smith, Kendrick Perkins, Malika Andrews and Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone were working Saturday’s game.

During the Wolves’ historic back-to-back conference finals runs, hip-hop artist/actor Snoop Dogg graced courtside seats in Target Center. Ice-T was here as recently as April.

Rapper 50 Cent has visited Target Center on occasion since 2023, when his Sire Spirits became the official spirit partner of the Timberwolves.

Actor Josh Duhamel, North Dakota’s own Hollywood star and northern Minnesota off-grid cabin owner, is a frequent fan, as is music producer Jimmy Jam, who sat with Snoop during last year’s conference finals run. Musicians Common and Jennifer Hudson were also in the crowd.

Craig Kilborn, former late night TV host and sports commentator who grew up in Hastings, is considered one of the most famous Timberwolves fans. He hosts a podcast, “The Life Gorgeous,” which often delves into discussions about the Wolves.

There have been somewhat hidden celebs in the stands, like acclaimed Ohio poet and New York Times best-selling author Hanif Abdurraqib, a lifelong Wolves fan. During the last finals run, he was seated in third-row courtside seats near Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson.

Chef David Fhima, who has been running Twin Cities restaurants since the 1990s, serves as executive chef for the Wolves and Lynx.

The star power of Anthony Edwards is a draw for first-time Target Center celebrity guests like New York Times best-selling author Jason Reynolds, who attended last year’s Game 1 finals just to see Edwards play.

Long before the national Ant appeal, Target Center likely had its most star-studded audience in 2018 when Minneapolis hosted the Super Bowl. Three nights before the Philadelphia Eagles beat the New England Patriots at U.S. Bank Stadium, coach Bill Belichick, boxer Floyd Mayweather, Pittsburgh Steelers receiver Antonio Brown and rapper Gucci Mane sat courtside at Target Center.

During the last finals’ run, TNT commentators Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith and Ernie Johnson set up shop at the top of the first deck of the arena to broadcast “Inside the NBA.”

Spotting the celebs at NBA games is like a game of Where’s Waldo: Where are they, and how did they get those tickets? An easy answer for Timberwolves majority owners Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez, who signed autographs for a few kids but declined to comment to the Minnesota Star Tribune.

Now-minority owner Glen Taylor and his wife, Becky, are courtside fixtures. They’ll remain so since Taylor, who owns the Star Tribune, negotiated as part of the sale four courtside seats, a suite and two reserved parking spaces for every Wolves and Lynx game.

Superfan Bill Beise is known for wearing a suit and slapping courtside with a rolled-up program — earning him the nickname “Coach” during his time as a 20-season ticket holder.

He watched Saturday’s game from home in Edina because he was too nervous to be at Target Center following back-to-back losses in this finals series.

Hours before tip-off, Beise said in a text that his “stomach is somewhere near my throat. ... Maybe a win will enable me to be calm enough to go on Monday. I am going to watch 2004 Game 7 vs Sacramento .. hoping that will calm me down a bit for a couple hours before the game.”