Chris Finch’s voice cracked and faltered as the coach expressed on behalf of the Minnesota Timberwolves their heartbreak for the community’s collective fear and pain from the ongoing immigration crackdown, following the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Alex Pretti by a federal officer.
Finch presents a straightforward, no-nonsense approach in his public statements and rarely reveals much emotion, but he was clearly moved by the situation in Minneapolis before his team hosted Golden State on Sunday. The game between the Timberwolves and Warriors was postponed by 24 hours, after Pretti was killed on Saturday.
“I’m more than a resident. This is my home. I love living here. I love being a part of this community. I’ve been embraced from day one. People have been amazing. It’s sad to watch what is happening,” said Finch, who was hired by the Timberwolves five years ago. “On the human level, certainly as somebody who takes great pride in being here, I know a lot of our players feel the same. They all love being here, and it’s just hard to watch what we’re going through.”
The Timberwolves held a moment of silence for Pretti prior to the national anthem, just as they did for Renee Good before their game on Jan. 8, the day after she was fatally shot by a federal officer. The Trump administration in December launched what the Department of Homeland Security declared the largest immigration enforcement operation in history and earlier this month announced a surge of more officers to push their force past 2,000.
The NBA announced Saturday that the rescheduling decision was made to “prioritize the safety and security of the Minneapolis community” after Pretti was killed during a confrontation in a commercial district less than 2 miles south of Target Center. Finch said on Sunday that the Timberwolves pushed for the postponement to respect the public grieving process.
“Playing basketball just didn’t feel like the right thing to do,” Finch said, thanking the NBA and the Warriors for their support.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr, long one of the league’s most outspoken coaches, was measured but clearly moved as he expressed his own sympathy.
“This has always been a great stop on the NBA tour. I love the city of Minneapolis. People here are wonderful, and it’s very sad what’s happening. I feel for the city. There’s a pall that’s been cast over the city. You can feel it. A lot of people are suffering, and obviously a loss of life is the number one concern. Those families will never get their family members back,” Kerr said.
Tens of thousands of people swarmed downtown Minneapolis on Friday in protest of the tactics and presence of immigration officers, a crowd the Warriors could see from their hotel as it moved toward Target Center. A smaller protest march took place downtown before the game Sunday.
There were plenty of other voices being raised around the sports world on Sunday. Women’s basketball star Breanna Stewart held a sign with “abolish ICE” printed on it during introductions at her Unrivaled league game. Minnesota Frost fans during a PWHL game chanted “Ice out now!” The NBA Players Association issued a statement in support of the protests in Minnesota and urged its members to speak up.
The perspectives in a polarized country vary wildly on what constitutes constitutionally protected protesting and what becomes violent political disruption, and Kerr seemed to sense that tension as he spoke before the game on Sunday.
“People are so angry. There should be an appeal to our better angels to look after one another and to recognize what’s happening. We’re being divided by media for profit, by misinformation. There’s so much out there that is really difficult for all of us to sort of reconcile,” Kerr said. “And so in times like these you have to lean on values and who you are and who you want to be, either as an individual or a country.”
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