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Chris Finch’s voice was hoarse and stammered as the coach spoke for the team. Minnesota Timberwolves The community is heartbroken by the collective fear and anguish of the ongoing immigration crackdown after 37-year-old Alex Pretti was shot and killed by a federal officer.
Finch has taken a direct, no-nonsense approach in his public statements and rarely shows much emotion, but he was clearly moved by the situation. minneapolis before his team hosts the Golden State Warriors on Sunday. The game between the Timberwolves and Warriors was postponed 24 hours after Pretty was killed on Saturday.
“I’m more than just a resident. This is my home. I love living here. I love being part of this community. I’ve been embraced from day one. The people have been great. It’s sad to see what happened,” said Finch, who was hired by the Timberwolves five years ago. “On a human level, certainly as someone who’s very proud to be here, I know a lot of our players feel the same way. They all love being here, it’s just hard to see what we’re going through.”
The Timberwolves held a moment of silence for Pretty before the national anthem, just as they did for Renee Goode before the game on Jan. 8, the day after she was shot and killed by federal officers. The Trump administration launched in December Department of Homeland Security announced the largest immigration enforcement operation in history and announced an increase in police force earlier this month, bringing the police force to more than 2,000.
this NBA It was announced Saturday that the decision to reschedule was made to “prioritize the safety of the Minneapolis community” after Pretty was killed in a confrontation in a business district less than 2 miles south of Target Center. Finch said Sunday that the Timberwolves pushed for the delay to respect the public grieving process.
“Playing basketball just didn’t feel like the right thing to do,” Finch said, thanking the NBA and Warriors for their support.
warriors coach Steve KerrOne of the most outspoken coaches in the league, he was careful in expressing his sympathy but was clearly moved.
“This is always a great stop on the NBA tour. I love the city of Minneapolis. The people here are great, but it’s very sad what happened. I feel for the city. There’s a shadow hanging over the city. You can feel it. A lot of people are suffering and obviously the loss of life is the biggest issue. These families will never get their family back,” Kerr said.
Tens of thousands of people poured into downtown Minneapolis on Friday to protest the tactics and presence of immigration officials, and the group could be seen from the Warriors’ hotel as they moved toward Target Center. A smaller protest march was held in the city center before Sunday’s game.
There were plenty of other voices in the sports world on Sunday. Women’s basketball star Breanna Stewart held a sign that read “Abolish ICE” during the Unrivaled League introduction. Minnesota Frost fans chant “Stop Freeze Now!” at PWHL game. The NBA Players Association released a statement supporting the Minnesota protests and urging its members to speak out.
In a polarized country with widely varying views on what constitutes constitutionally protected protest and what constitutes violent political disruption, Kerr seemed to sense the tension as he spoke before Sunday’s game.
“People are outraged. Our better angels should be called upon to look out for each other and recognize what’s going on. We are being divided by the media for profit and misinformation. There is so much going on out there that it’s hard for all of us to reconcile,” Kerr said. “So in times like this, as individuals and as a country, you have to rely on values, who you are and who you want to be.”
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