Flip Saunders diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, plans to keep coaching
In mid-June, as he readied his franchise-altering decision on who to take with the first pick in the NBA’s draft, Minnesota Timberwolves coach and president Flip Saunders was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.
On Tuesday, in a press release, the Wolves confirmed Saunders’ diagnosis:
Minnesota, with Saunders at the helm during a rebuilding year, finished with the worst record in the NBA in 2014-15. However, the team currently fields a young roster featuring the last three top overall picks in the NBA draft in Anthony Bennett, Andrew Wiggins, and 2015 pick Karl-Anthony Towns, alongside three other strong young talents in Shabazz Muhammad, Zach LaVine, and Gorgui Dieng.
Saunders coached the Wolves in the team’s glory years behind the legendary Kevin Garnett, who Saunders re-acquired via trade last February. Saunders was fired as head coach of the Wolves after the team’s first postseason absence in nine years back in 2005, and various other head coaches (including Saunders, who returned to the sidelines in 2013) have presided over the NBA’s longest postseason drought in the decade since.
Saunders, a Minnesota native, has talked about eventually stepping away from the sidelines in order to concentrate solely on his lead executive duties. All of us here wish him a full and speedy recovery.
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Kelly Dwyer is an editor for Ball Don’t Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @KDonhoops
