On Monday, Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards said he, his representatives and the team had "something going" related to a donation or assistance he would give within the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities.
Edwards announces donation to Queerspace Collective to mend rift with LGBTQ community
Edwards posted a homophobic video in September, but apologized for it and pledged to make amends.
January 5, 2023 at 2:06AM
At the Wolves' Pride Night on Wednesday, the team announced Edwards would be making a donation to Queerspace Collective. Edwards said its work helping young people appealed to him.
"Just try to right my wrongs," Edwards said. "You know, give back, show them that it's no hate. You know what I'm saying? It's all love."
Queerspace Collective was founded in 2021 with the mission of supporting LGBTQ youth, who are disproportionately affected by harassment and homelessness and are more at risk of suicide. It helps young LGBTQ people find a community and connects them with mentors and other people their age to help combat loneliness and isolation they may feel in their daily lives.
Edwards posted a video containing homophobic and derogatory language toward a group of men in September. At a news conference in which he apologized for the video, Edwards pledged to do "whatever it takes" to repair his relationship with that community. The donation marks the first public announcement Edwards has made in that regard.
The Wolves hosted their annual Pride Night, which highlighted members of the LGBTQ community. The Twin Cities Gay Men's Chorus performed the national anthem, nonbinary singer, songwriter and producer Ness Nite performed at halftime and the team's "Chef Spotlight" featured vegan cookies from Sweet Troo Vi, the company founded by former Lynx player and assistant coach Rebekkah Brunson and her wife Bobbi Jo Lamar Brunson. The team also announced a $5,000 donation to Twin Cities Pride and distributed 500 tickets to LGBTQ organizations.
Prince returns
Taurean Prince returned to the rotation following a 20-game absence for a shoulder injury he suffered Nov. 23 against Indiana. Coach Chris Finch initially said Prince would be out one to two weeks, but the injury took multiple weeks longer to heal for Prince, who had been ramping up his activity in recent days.
Prince is averaging 7.9 points per game off the bench and gives Finch another option to turn to amid many injuries in recent weeks.
"Obviously he's a key member of our rotation," Finch said. "He was probably playing some of the most consistent basketball for the season of anybody at the time he went out."
Prince was shooting 39% from three-point range for the season and can help space the offense when he's on the floor. There was no minutes restriction on Prince, Finch said.
"He gives us another guy who can knock down shots," Finch said. "The great thing about TP is he's such an excellent system fit, whether it be shooting, playing off the catch, the defensive versatility, all the things we really need right now."
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Karl-Anthony Towns and Jordan McLaughlin remain out because of calf injuries. Finch said Towns had another re-evaluation coming up for his injury.
D'Angelo Russell returned from a one-game absence for what the team said was an illness while Naz Reid missed his second consecutive game because of back spasms while Bryn Forbes missed his second because of right shoulder soreness.
After trailing from the first basket to the final 69 ticks, the Timberwolves defeated a Phoenix team that lacked key players but had Devin Booker, who scored 44 points.
