(The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Commenter Stu tracks down former Minnesota sports figures about whom you might have otherwise forgotten. Stu? ---------
The Hunt Down
Name: Andrew Lang Claim to Fame, Minnesota: a non-Eastern European who played center for the Minnesota Timberwolves in 1996. He and Spud Webb were acquired from Atlanta in the Christian Laettner trade. At season's end, he was shipped to Milwaukee, after some wrangling, to help complete the Stephon Marbury/Ray Allen draft swap. Claim to Fame, Everywhere Else: the Arkansas product was drafted by Phoenix and developed into a shotblocking machine. Lang and noted face-toucher Jeff Hornacek were key components of the Suns' trade with the Sixers for Charles Barkley. Also played for the Hawks, Bucks, Bulls and Knicks before retiring in 2000. Where He Is Now: is the team chaplain for the Atlanta Hawks. Lang and his wife live in the Atlanta suburbs and both his children have played or are playing college ball. Is He on Twitter: not that I can tell. Glorious Randomness: Lang's hometown of Pine Bluff (which he shares with former Twin Torii Hunter) was ranked as the most dangerous metropolitan area in the United States in 2009. Friend of RandBall and NHL word-writer Erin Nicks will have you know that her hometown of Thunder Bay is the murder capital of Canada, and ain't afraid of no one. Politely, of course.
A three-game road swing begins Tuesday night in St. Louis, then the team heads to Canada.