Rosas has big goals for T-wolves
The accomplishment bears more worldly significance than what the Minnesota Timberwolves might do with their No. 1, 17 and 33 picks for this week’s NBA Draft. Or if they can keep Karl-anthony Towns long term. Or if the Timberwolves can make the playoffs for the second time in 17 years.
Since taking over as the Timberwolves’ President of Basketball Operations on May 3, 2019, Gersson Rosas has become the lone Latino to head an NBA front office.
“It’s an honor, but it’s also a motivation,” Rosas told USA TODAY Sports. “I’m blessed and fortunate to be in this position. But at the same time, that position comes with responsibility.”
Hence, Rosas does not just want to be in the history books because of his ethnicity. He wants to be in the history books for how he handled his new role. So, he remains determined to ensure a few things. Rosas expects to stay open minded on whether he uses the pick to select a prospect or in a trade leading into Wednesday’s draft.
“We have to explore all of those options,” Rosas said. “But we’re fortunate that we have a couple of building blocks on the roster already with Karl-anthony Towns and D’angelo Russell where you’re not desperate for that first player.”
Rosas expects to develop a winning environment so that Towns will want to remain the franchise’s centerpiece. Even after making the postseason only once and playing for four general managers and three coaches since the Timberwolves selected him at No. 1 in 2015.
“We’re committed to him, and he’s committed to us,” Rosas said. “He and his family are incredibly important and vital parts of our organization.”
Rosas expects to oversee a Timberwolves team that will soon end their season with a playoff appearance instead of another trip to the NBA draft lottery.
Rosas’ path to front office
To explain that fast timeline, consider the timeline that Rosas took to arrive at his current position. At age three, Rosas, his parents and his younger brother moved from his native Bogota, Colombia, to Houston, Texas. Then, Rosas knew nothing about the English language and American sports. Rosas learned quickly.
At age eight, Rosas spent his mornings reading the sports section of the newspaper and watching game highlights. His enthusiasm only grew.
So he attended the University of Houston and graduated with a degree in sports and business management. During that time, Omar Minaya worked as an assistant general manager with the New York Mets. Before Minaya even became the first Hispanic GM in MLB history with the Expos (2002-2004), Rosas already knew he wanted to follow his path.
“I finally saw somebody who looked like me, somebody that came from a place close to where I was from and reached that level,” Rosas said. “That motivated me.”
So Rosas pursued any opportunities that would lead him there.
Rosas interned with agents, sports marketing firms and international federations where he worked as a Spanish translator on behalf of agents representing European players. He became an assistant coach on Westbury Christian High School’s state championship team. He became a basketball coordinator for the Venezuelan Basketball Federation during the 2002 World Basketball Championships. He then interned for the Houston Rockets for former executive Dennis Lindsey.
“The beauty in the story with Gersson is he never got discouraged. He always came back for more,” said Lindsey, who is currently the Utah Jazz’s executive vice president of basketball operations.
Rosas considered Lindsey an “incredible mentor” who continuously encouraged him. Rosas gladly became the Rockets’ personnel scout and video coordinator in 2004 before moving up the ranks to vice president of player personnel. He also became the GM of the Rockets’ GLeague team (2009-2013), where he won two league championships.
The Dallas Mavericks then hired Rosas as general manager, making him the first Latino GM in NBA history. Three months later, Rosas resigned abruptly.
“I’ve been fortunate to have a good relationship with Mark Cuban there. But it wasn’t the right fit,” Rosas said.
So, Rosas returned to Houston for six more seasons as its executive vice president of basketball operations.
How Rosas handled new role
Rosas’ first season in Minnesota entailed dealing with the fallout over Tom Thibodeau’s firing and Jimmy Butler’s departure. So Rosas supported Ryan Saunders and his young coaching staff.
During free agency, Rosas then pursued D’angelo Russell by taking him on a helicopter ride over Los Angeles and sharing a plan on how he would create cap space to ensure a max offer.
The Timberwolves had only one game to see how Russell and Towns looked. Then the NBA suspended the season because of the coronavirus outbreak. Just over a month later, Towns’ mother, Jacqueline Cruz, died due to complications with COVID-19.
Before her passing, Rosas helped the family connect with various health experts familiar with the virus. The franchise also gave Towns space to grieve.
“Challenging tragic and devastating,” Rosas said. “We’ve supported him in any way that we can. But it’s been tough. You want to say something and you want to do something. But at the end of the day, there is not much that will fill that hole.”
Hence, Rosas became inspired with Towns in various ways. How he honored his mother. How he still attended voluntary workouts. How he donated $100,000 to the Mayo Clinic to help with testing patients for COVID-19. How he led a peaceful protest after a Minneapolis police officer killed George Floyd, an unarmed Black man.
Rosas ensured the franchise became just as involved. He invited guest speakers to talk to the team about social justice issues. Rosas ensured that 100 percent of the team registered to vote and had the organization participate in the league’s voter registration initiatives. And he had the team visit the George Floyd memorial.
“We don’t want to act for the sake of action. We want to have purpose and sustainable impact in anything that we do,” Rosas said.