It was not his first choice, but right now it looks like the right one.
Rick Rickert will get a chance to play basketball, a lot. He'll face stiff competition every night. He will get a chance to learn, grow stronger, get ready for an anticipated entry into the NBA a year from now.
And here's a bonus: He'll get to see another part of the world.
"I'm excited, I really am," Rickert said Wednesday. "This should be a great experience."
Rickert, the Duluth native taken in the second round of the NBA draft by the Timberwolves this summer, has decided that a trip to Europe could be just the ticket.
"There are a lot of plusses," said the 6-11 forward, who left the University of Minnesota after his sophomore season. "I'll have an opportunity to get a lot of playing time, right away. I will have time to get bigger and stronger."
And so he will leave for Europe, and fairly soon. Rickert said he will rely on his agent, Bill Duffy, to find the right team to play for.
"We'll pick a team sometime in the next three weeks," Rickert said.
Via Minneapolis Star-Tribune
Minnesota Timberwolves
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The first things you look for, given the whirlwind off-season the Timberwolves have had, are the reunions.
For example: In the Wolves 2003-2004 schedule, which was officially released Tuesday, the Wolves will open the season Oct. 29 at home against Milwaukee. That will enable Sam Cassell and Ervin Johnson to open the season against their former team.
Michael Olowokandi, the Wolves' new center will face his old squad, the L.A. Clippers, at Target Center Nov. 22. Latrell Sprewell? The New York Knicks come to Minnesota Nov. 26.
In their 15th season, the Timberwolves will play 20 games on the weekend, including seven home games on Sunday afternoon. They will appear on national television 17 times: ABC will carry a game with Houston Jan. 17; the Wolves will appear on ESPN /ESPN2 10 times, on TNT five times and on TSN once.
"I like our schedule," said Chris Wright, senior vice president and chief marketing officer for the Wolves. "It's a really, really balanced schedule."
Via Star Tribune
Minnesota Timberwolves, Milwaukee Bucks
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Timberwolves Jul 2003 Archive
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Minneapolis Star-Tribune | Jul 29, 2003
Coming this fall to a basketball arena near you: Mad Dog and the Mayor.
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nba.com | Jul 28, 2003
Timberwolves Vice President of Basketball Operations/General Manager Kevin McHale today announced the team has agreed to terms with free agent Mark Madsen.
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nba.com | Jul 28, 2003
Timberwolves Vice President of Basketball Operations/General Manager Kevin McHale today announced the team has agreed to terms with free agent Fred Hoiberg.
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Minneapolis Star-Tribune | Jul 28, 2003
Confused by the Kobe Bryant case? You've come to the right place, because I know it all.
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Philadelphia Inquirer | Jul 28, 2003
When Billy King, the 76ers' president and general manager, flew to Boston for the Reebok Pro Summer League two weeks ago, he had more on his mind than evaluating young players.
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Atlanta Journal-Constitution | Jul 27, 2003
The Hawks weren't the only team that wanted Terrell Brandon's contract.
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Minneapolis Star Tribune | Jul 27, 2003
Kevin McHale hasn't been fishing yet, not once.
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St. Paul Pioneer Press | Jul 25, 2003
Timberwolves vice president Kevin McHale was reassured Thursday by Latrell Sprewell's agent that the 11-year NBA veteran is excited about joining his new team.
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New York Post | Jul 25, 2003
Minnesota's Wally Szczerbiak believes the addition of Latrell Sprewell could be the final piece to the Timberwolves' championship puzzle.
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New York Daily News | Jul 25, 2003
Knick fans won't have to wait very long to see Latrell Sprewell in a Timberwolves uniform.
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Philadelphia Daily News | Jul 24, 2003
Billy King wanted this one.
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Minneapolis Star Tribune | Jul 24, 2003
Kevin McHale was sitting behind the microphones, displaying more energy than any NBA general manager had a right to have, given the grueling day he had just completed.
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New York Daily News | Jul 24, 2003
New York fans have spoken, and Knicks president and GM Scott Layden may want to cover his ears.
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New York Post | Jul 24, 2003
Jeff Van Gundy wishes the Timberwolves were in the East.
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New York Times | Jul 24, 2003
The car sped into the driveway of the Knicks' practice facility in Greenburgh, N.
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New York Times | Jul 24, 2003
The Knicks traded their most popular player, Latrell Sprewell, to the Minnesota Timberwolves last night and obtained the often-maligned forward Keith Van Horn from the Philadelphia 76ers in a four-team, six-player deal.
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Associated Press | Jul 23, 2003
Six players, including Latrell Sprewell, Glenn Robinson and Keith Van Horn, were involved in a four-team NBA trade Wednesday night.
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New York Times | Jul 23, 2003
For more than a year, the Knicks have dangled Latrell Sprewell around the league, looking for a taker.
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Minneapolis Star Tribune | Jul 23, 2003
What do you do when your Franchise Player is not talking up his team in the offseason before a contract year? When your Franchise Player, despite be one the most talented players in the league, can't get out of the first round of the playoffs? Well you make some big moves or prepare yourself to drive him to the airport so that he can fly out to his new team.
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Philadelphia Inquirer | Jul 23, 2003
Keith Van Horn's stint in Philadelphia likely will be over soon.
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Atlanta Journal-Constitution | Jul 23, 2003
Were the Hawks so unimpressed with Glenn "Big Dog" Robinson that they'd be willing to trade their leading scorer --- in essence --- for nobody?
Hawks director of basketball operations and interim general manager Billy Knight confirmed Tuesday night that the team has had conversations about a possible blockbuster four-team trade involving Robinson, New York Knicks forward Latrell Sprewell, Philadelphia 76ers forward Keith Van Horn and Minnesota Timberwolves point guard Terrell Brandon's contract.
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| Jul 23, 2003
What do you do when your Franchise Player is not talking up his team in the offseason before a contract year? When your Franchise Player, despite be one the most talented players in the league, can't get out of the first round of the playoffs? Well you make some big moves or prepare yourself to drive him to the airport so that he can fly out to his new team.
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ESPN | Jul 22, 2003
A four-team trade involving the Timberwolves, Knicks, 76ers and Hawks has been agreed to and likely will be completed on Wednesday, ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher reports.
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San Antonio Express-News | Jul 18, 2003
It's true that coach Gregg Popovich made a five-hour run across Eastern Europe to pay a recruiting visit to new Spurs center Rasho Nesterovic.
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St. Paul Pioneer Press | Jul 17, 2003
Michael Olowokandi sounded like a man who just received a get-out-of-jail free card after signing a three-year, $16.
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St. Paul Pioneer Press Columnist Ben Sansevere | Jul 17, 2003
Bet you're wondering what Kevin Garnett thinks about the Timberwolves' loss of center Rasho Nesterovic and acquisition of Michael Olowokandi.
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New York Post | Jul 17, 2003
The Knicks can't use the excuse that the salary cap prevented them from signing Michael Olowokandi yesterday.
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San Antonio Express-News | Jul 16, 2003
Rasho Nesterovic still remembers the night.
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Rocky Mountain News | Jul 16, 2003
Michael Olowokandi wanted to come to Denver, but the Nuggets didn't want him.
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Minneapolis Star Tribune | Jul 16, 2003
Just hours after losing center Rasho Nesterovic as a free agent to San Antonio, the Timberwolves found a replacement in Los Angeles Clippers free agent Michael Olowokandi.
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ESPN | Jul 15, 2003
The San Antonio Spurs have found their replacement for retired center David Robinson.
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St. Paul Pioneer Press | Jul 15, 2003
Now that free-agent forward Juwan Howard has committed to the Orlando Magic, the Timberwolves have moved to Plan B, which includes talking with the agent of Indiana Pacers center Brad Miller.
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Minneapolis Star Tribune | Jul 15, 2003
Just a few days ago the odds seemed favorable that the Timberwolves would be able to line up this fall with a long, lean frontcourt that included Kevin Garnett, Rasho Nesterovic and Juwan Howard.
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Star Tribune | Jul 15, 2003
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San Antonio Express-News | Jul 14, 2003
Rasho Nesterovic will likely decide whether to sign with the Spurs on Tuesday or Wednesday, his agent said Sunday.
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Rocky Mountain News | Jul 14, 2003
Juwan Howard is heading south.
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Detroit News | Jul 14, 2003
Former Fab Fiver Juwan Howard will not be returning to Michigan to play for the Pistons.
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Orlando Sentinel | Jul 13, 2003
Coveted free agent Juwan Howard has quietly declared his intent to play in Orlando through the prime of his career.
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San Antonio Express-News | Jul 13, 2003
With three days remaining before NBA teams can begin signing free agents to contracts, the Spurs continued talks with Rasho Nesterovic while also examining their other options.
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Akron Beacon-Journal | Jul 12, 2003
The Cavaliers have had discussions with the Minnesota Timberwolves about a trade involving Ricky Davis and Wally Szczerbiak, a source close to the situation said.
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St. Paul Pioneer Press Columnist Charley Walters | Jul 11, 2003
People who know say free- agent forward Juwan Howard has narrowed the list of teams he is considering to the Timberwolves and Detroit Pistons.
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New York Post | Jul 11, 2003
Bad news on the Knick free-agent front: Their top priority at center, 7-foot Rasho Nesterovic, received an offer Wednesday from the Timberwolves, beginning at a wage greater than the $4.
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Minneapolis Star Tribune | Jul 10, 2003
Agent Andy Miller confirmed Wednesday that he now represents former Timberwolves guard Anthony Peeler and that Peeler is not pursuing a grievance against the team.
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St. Paul Pioneer Press | Jul 9, 2003
The Timberwolves have offered their midlevel exception to free-agent power forward Juwan Howard and made an offer to retain free-agent center Rasho Nesterovic.
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Minneapolis Star Tribune | Jul 9, 2003
The Timberwolves have not heard the last of Anthony Peeler yet.
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Detroit News | Jul 9, 2003
Guess what? The folks here in Orlando remember Tayshaun Prince.
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Philadelphia Inquirer | Jul 8, 2003
It's no secret that the 76ers are looking for a center, especially with the uncertain situation of Todd MacCulloch, Derrick Coleman's status as an unrestricted free agent, and Samuel Dalembert's inexperience - including his missing last season because of a left knee injury.
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Minneapolis Star Tribune | Jul 8, 2003
While many of the NBA's superstars were preoccupied with shoe deals and fat contracts, a squad of unsigned veterans and untested rookies spent the weekend slugging it out at the Timberwolves minicamp at Target Center with a much simpler goal: a chance to get into the league.
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Associated Press | Jul 6, 2003
Sources close to forward Juwan Howard say he likely will sign with the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Detroit Free Press reported Sunday.
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Pioneer Press | Jul 6, 2003
Ndudi Ebi didn't blush or smile.
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Minneapolis Star Tribune | Jul 6, 2003
For a golden-haired kid from Duluth and a teenager from Nigeria, Rick Rickert and Ndudi Ebi have more in common than one would think.
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Minneapolis Star Tribune Columnist Patrick Reusse | Jul 6, 2003
Kevin McHale monitored Rick Rickert's pre-draft workout at Target Center.
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St. Paul Pioneer Press | Jul 5, 2003
Today is the first day of 19-year-old Ndudi Ebi's professional basketball career.
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St. Paul Pioneer Press Columnist Charley Walters | Jul 4, 2003
The Timberwolves are trying to acquire forward Al Harrington from the Indiana Pacers in a trade for point guard Terrell Brandon.
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Minneapolis Star Tribune Columnist Dan Barreiro | Jul 4, 2003
Like a late-arriving tornado, Sam Cassell eventually hit town Wednesday, and quickly bent a few trees.
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New York Daily News | Jul 3, 2003
Speedy Claxton has a visit to Orlando scheduled for today.
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New York Daily News | Jul 3, 2003
Kevin Garnett will be coming to the New York area in less than a week, and he'll be busy posing for photographers.
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Minneapolis Star Tribune | Jul 3, 2003
When the Timberwolves traded for Sam Cassell last week, somebody asked coach Flip Saunders if Troy Hudson would remain his starting point guard.
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St. Paul Pioneer Press | Jul 2, 2003
Whether Ervin Johnson will play for the Timberwolves next season is up in the air, but on Tuesday he said he is willing and able.
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New York Post | Jul 2, 2003
Agent Bill Duffy knew the Knicks would again be interested in Timberwolves 7-foot center Rasho Nesterovic come July 1, but even he was impressed by Knicks GM Scott Layden's pitch.
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New York Times | Jul 2, 2003
Although he may not have come armed with the money that other general managers brought to the free-agent table, the Knicks' Scott Layden did pick up the telephone.
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Minneapolis Star Tribune | Jul 1, 2003
Let the phone calls begin.
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