NBA team honors legend

For the first nine years of the Minnesota Timberwolves’ existence as a franchise, Kevin Harlan served as the organization’s first-ever play-by-play voice. It wasn’t Harlan’s first gig, but surely, it helped catapult him onto the national stage.

Before Minnesota, there was Kansas City.

Fresh out of college, Harlan was the TV and radio voice of the NBA’s Kansas City Kings (now the Sacramento Kings). He was then an announcer for the University of Kansas — his alma mater — for one year before parlaying that gig into calling games for the Kansas City Chiefs (1985-93) after several years of hosting and producing pre-game and post-game programming while still a student at Kansas. He also called football and basketball games for the University of Missouri (1986-89).

So, you wouldn’t be speaking out of turn to say that Harlan wears many hats. But at the same time, he’s been forever associated with the Timberwolves. And while on the call for TNT for Sunday’s T’Wolves-Denver Nuggets playoff game from the Target Center in downtown Minneapolis, Harlan got to ditch the mic for a second.

That’s because they honored Harlan during a break in play as part of the team’s 35th year of existence.

“Moments ago, fans celebrated 35 seasons of Timberwolves basketball,” said TNT Sports sideline reporter Allie LaForce. “They took us back to 1989 when it all began. That happens to be the year that Kevin Harlan became the voice of the Minnesota Timberwolves. For the first nine years of the team’s existence, he left his mark on this city with his iconic calls. It’s hard to imagine the NBA without hearing Kevin’s voice, and it all started here.

“During that time, he called Kevin Garnett’s first three seasons and the Wolves’ first two playoff appearances in ’97 and ’98. The NBA would not be the same without you, partner. And as much as you inspire the audience, you inspire Jamal (Crawford), Reggie (Miller), and I, as well.”

“You’re so sweet, Allie—thank you,” replied Harlan. “Thank you, guys, and thanks to the Timberwolves organization. It was my privilege to do their first nine seasons right here in Minneapolis. Starting an expansion franchise, of course, the NBA and professional basketball have been big here…”

It’s fair to say that Sunday was a banner day for Harlan in Minnesota. He was honored by a team he helped put on the map and met Jamal Murray face-to-face during an epic buzzer-beater call right before halftime.

It was only fitting that on the night he was honored, he created a few highlights.

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