Former Timberwolves Coach Ryan Saunders Had Bizarre Injury While Yelling at Andrew Wiggins

Andrew Wiggins wasn’t an overnight success.

He struggled mightily in his first several seasons. But now Wiggins is playing at a high level, making far fewer mistakes than he used to. On the Timberwolves he had all kinds of issues, like the time Wiggins had three points and four turnovers at halftime, as he did for the Timberwolves against the Bulls on Jan. 22, 2020.

It got so bad that his coach had a bizarre injury while yelling at him.

Zach Lowe of ESPN:

Ryan Saunders, then the Wolves coach and a fervent backer of Wiggins, screamed at Wiggins in the locker room.

“I don’t even remember what he said,” Wiggins recalls now. “But he’s still my guy.”

Saunders was so intense, he began feeling chest pains, sources say. Team doctors examined him for potential cardiac issues. They concluded Saunders had pulled a muscle in his chest yelling at Wiggins, sources say. Team officials like to say Saunders loves Wiggins so much, berating him almost broke his heart.

Wiggins scored 22 points in the second half so whatever Saunders did it worked.   Minnesota traded Wiggins to Golden State a couple weeks later then fired Saunders a year later.

At least Saunders escaped without Wiggins giving him a heart attack.


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