Congrats to Howlin T-Wolf, the newest member of the TrueHoop blog network.
From Steve Aschburner/SI.com: Patience may be Timberwolves’ best weapon in courting Rubio
Fans around the NBA, rival teams, media voices, even near-disinterested observers have their takes on Rubio and what, so far, appears to be some reluctance to cozy up to the team that drafted him with the fifth pick last week. It is way too early to label the relationship between the Wolves and the intriguing teenaged point guard a predicament, never mind a stalemate, an impasse, a dilemma or a problem. The report Tuesday by the Spanish newspaper El Periodico that Rubio had dropped his lawsuit against DKV Joventut and would fulfill the final two years of his contract was sketchy at best, no clear indication that a buyout still might or might not be pursued (a Wolves spokesman said late in the day that the team had heard nothing about that from Rubio or his agent).
It’s no one’s fault. Ricky wasn’t wrong for declaring for the Draft despite the real possibility that he’d have to finish his contract with DKV Joventut. The L-Wolves aren’t at fault for realizing Rubio’s sticky situation and making the best business move possible–selecting the Spanish wonder guard and stashing him away for safe trading. Joventut certainly isn’t at fault for asking Rubio to honor his contract. And how’s this for one really heinous thought… Maybe Rubio will be prepared to contribute in the NBA in two years.
From Andrew Katz/Dime Magazine: If Ricky Rubio Really Wanted to Screw Minnesota
Last month, Gov. M. Jodi Rell signed into law something close to Ryan Gomes’ heart. On Wednesday, Gomes made sure Post University was compliant with the law on the day it took effect.

Gomes, through his Hoops for Heart Health foundation, presented Post with an automatic external defibrillator (AED). The law requires that schools in Connecticut have one AED and a professional to operate it by July 1, 2010.

It wasn’t difficult to pinpoint the theme of Wayne Ellington’s speech to about 40 teens attending a basketball camp this week at Conestoga High School. The former Episcopal Academy star and University of North Carolina standout mentioned hard work at least a dozen times during his appearance on Tuesday morning.

Wearing a UNC T-shirt, NBA socks and carrying an official Minnesota Timberwolves basketball with him, Ellington spent about 15 minutes addressing the youngsters, with a question and answer session to follow. Just five days earlier, Ellington was selected 28th in the first round of the NBA Draft by Minnesota.

“When I was a youngster, it always helped when somebody who played the game at a pretty high level gave me some words of encouragement,” said Ellington, who acknowledged that his start in basketball came at a summer camp much like the one at Conestoga.

From Don Seeholzer/Pioneer Press:
Last week’s NBA draft didn’t change the oddsmakers’ opinion about the Timberwolves, who remain 125-1 long shots to win a championship in 2009-10, according to Bodog.com.
Remarks attributed to Charles Barkley in an item posted Wednesday come from a Web site that has no affiliation with the former NBA star.

The blog item, which recommended the Timberwolves hire Del Harris as coach, was discovered during an Internet search and believed to be written by Barkley.

The Pioneer Press, twincities.com and this reporter regret the error.