The National Basketball Coaches Association criticzed the process that led to the Timberwolves’ hiring of new coach Chris Finch, stating the organization failed to conduct “a thorough and transparent search of candidates from a wide range of diverse backgrounds.”
“We would be remiss not to acknowledge a deeper concern and level of disappointment with the Minnesota head coach hiring process,” NBCA president Rick Carlisle and executive director David Fogel said in a statement.
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The Timberwolves fired coach Ryan Saunders on Sunday and announced the hire of Finch, a Raptors assistant, 11 hours later on Monday morning. The hire drew criticism from some around the league, including Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard, who pointed out in a tweet Minnesota boasted a qualified coach on its own bench in associate head coach David Vanterpool (a former Portland assistant).
Minnesota star Karl-Anthony Towns expressed his sentiments about Vanterpool on Tuesday.
“I’d be remiss if I didn’t come on here and mention the amazing work that men of color are doing in this world. Not only in every other sport and through social justice and every other part of this world and in the organization or whatever the case may be, but for basketball,” Towns said. “For what my job is, there’s a lot of amazing men of color out there that deserve the opportunity to lead a team and to run an organization and have a chance to make their mark in this league not with a jersey on but with a suit on. And, I say that with meaning.
“But, like I said, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the amazing work David Vanterpool has put in, and as a man who looks like me, I can’t wait to see him get a job where he can flourish and be a head coach and run a team.”
The NBCA said it is working with the league office on initiatives to improve future coaching searches.
“We must establish a level playing field and equal access to opportunity for all coaching candidates,” Carlisle and Fogel said.
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How much weight does this statement carry?
David Aldridge, D.C. editor-in-chief: Some, due to the NBCA's work in the social justice space the last couple of years, especially this past summer when Atlanta's Lloyd Pierce led the push to establish a racial injustice and reform committee within NBCA, with Bryan Stevenson from the Equal Justice Initiative providing support. You would hope that NBA teams wouldn't need to be reminded in 2021 how awful the optics are of not interviewing a Black person for an open NBA head-coaching job. But I remain skeptical that in the analytics-dominant NBA of today, the pool of Black, non-former player candidates is as robust as it should be.
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What initiatives can level the playing field?
Aldridge: Hire more Black people as head coaches.
What does Minnesota need to do as a front office?
John Hollinger, NBA senior writer: This is not just a Minnesota issue. The larger question is whether the NBA needs a Rooney Rule requiring teams to interview minority candidates. Even if the Wolves had followed the league's typical knee-jerk process by promoting their top assistant, who in this case was Black, that still would have left no other minority candidates a chance to interview. Since interviews are seen as the best (if not only) way for an assistant to make an impression on an organization outside their own, one can understand the NBCA's frustration.
The Timberwolves' response
Jon Krawczynski, Timberwolves beat writer: Wolves president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas was pressed on the issue at Finch's introductory press conference on Monday. Rosas said that "our staff and the diversity we have speak for itself."
Rosas is the first Latino man to lead an NBA front office. Two of his top executives, Sachin Gupta and Robby Sikka, are Indian. Assistant GM Joe Branch is Black and in director of analytics Aaron Blackshear, they have one of two analytics departments in the entire league run by a Black man. Vanterpool, Kevin Burleson and Joseph Blair are Black assistants and VP of sports performance Javair Gillett and strength coaches Bill Burgos and Kurt Joseph are men of color.
The organization has also been at the forefront of the Twin Cities community response to George Floyd's death. But there is no debate that head coach is one of the most high-profile positions of leadership in the league. The Wolves made the decision that Vanterpool was not as qualified as Finch for the job. That may be right and it may be wrong, but they at least have worked closely with him for 18 months and know his strengths and weaknesses.
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The vulnerability comes in not conducting a search and considering outside candidates of color or women. The timing of a midseason move makes that difficult to pull off, but for an issue that is front and center on the league's consciousness, it is bringing considerable scrutiny and important questions about the process.
(Photo: Morry Gash / Associated Press)
Full statement:
Statement from NBCA President Coach Rick Carlisle & NBCA Executive Director David Fogel on NBA head coach hiring processes pic.twitter.com/9ahBB3oYRt
— NBA Coaches Assoc. (@NBA_Coaches) February 24, 2021