Timberwolves Have Announced Sam Mitchell as an Assistant Coach
By Thad Starch
The Minnesota Timberwolves have announced that Sam Mitchell will be an assistant coach under new (old?) coach Flip Saunders.
The new addition brings yet another familiar face to the coaching staff.
Mitchell spent 10 of his 13 years as a pro in Minnesota. He was a hard worker and a vocal leader on the team, willing to do the hard stuff. Mitchell has his hands in the Minnesota Timberwolves record books as well, ranking in the top 5 in several all-time categories such as rebounds, points, games played and games started.
You could say he was one of the great Timberwolves as a player, and now he is returning as a coach.
After his retirement, Mitchell spent 2002-04 as an assistant in Milwaukee before landing his first job as a head coach. Mitchell led the Toronto Raptors to two playoff appearances as head coach between 2004-08. After his 4-year stint as a head coach in Toronto, he was an assistant in New Jersey for the 2010-11 season. He has spent the last couple of years as an analyst on NBA TV.
Mitchell is another guy who brings playoff experience to this team as both a player and a coach. He has played in 59 playoff games as a player and has coached in 11 playoff games. His team’s success has been marginal at best, but at least he’s been there. For the Timberwolves, that’s a step in the right direction.