Like many of us in our 20s, Flip Saunders was the coach when we first became Timberwolves fans. We watched Flip get fired from his first stint in Minnesota, we followed him with a sense of distant pride as he led the Pistons to three consecutive Eastern Conference Finals, we watched him fail to put the pieces together in Washington and wondered if that was his last NBA stop, and we watched him create a buzz back home in his final act as President of Basketball Operations/Head Coach of the Timberwolves. Flip Saunders in the NBA has been a constant in our lives as much as anything else. Perhaps this is why we were overcome with an unusual sense of grief that we usually do not have for famous people we do not personally know. Being a Wolves fan was a roller coaster ride, and Flip was with us almost the entire time. I only wish Flip would be able to see the finished product he so proudly built. Rest In Peace, Flip.

It's been a difficult couple of days for the Canis Hoopus community and Wolves fans at large. I think we could all use some lighthearted reading while keeping Flip and his family in our thoughts.

Which Timberwolf best embodies each member of the Wu-Tang Clan?

The Timberwolves' season begins tonight and there is a tremendous amount of anticipation and hope for what is to come. Wolves fans hope that this season is the beginning of a step towards sustained competitive play. There is tremendous amount of hype surrounding the the 2015-2016 campaign. When was the last time there was so much hype for a Minnesota pro sports team that was expected to lose two-thirds of its games?

One of the reasons Wolves die-hards are so fascinated by this team is the multitude of personalities. This team is a motley crew of super young guys, super old guys, former league MVPs, Eastern Europeans, Western Europeans, uber-athletic "potential" guys, hometown heroes, lottery picks, etc. Despite this, the perception is that the Wolves have managed to build a team that, if the pieces fit, has the potential to legitimately contend in the near future.

Perhaps no hip hop group better embodies this desired cohesion, and certainly the ability to contend in producing the best product, than the Wu-Tang Clan. So without further ado let us address the question: which Timberwolf best embodies each member of the Wu-Tang Clan?

The RZA – Ricky Rubio

This one is easy. Ricky Rubio clearly best embodies the RZA. In the skit following the classic song Can It All Be So Simple (Can It All) from the Wu’s critically-acclaimed debut album, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), Method Man explains, "…the RZA, he the sharpest muthafucka in the whole Clan. He always on point, razor sharp." I couldn’t describe Ricky better myself. Ricky is arguably the smartest player on the court, and undoubtedly the player with the best vision and highest basketball IQ. He’s always on point, razor sharp.

The GZA – Kevin Garnett

Like the GZA, KG is the elder statesman of the squad. Both bring years of experience, sage advice, and an extremely cerebral approach to their craft. In Can It All, Raekwon posits, "And the GZA, the G is the Genius. He, he’s the backbone of the whole shit." Method Man chimes in, "He the head, let’s put it that way. We form like Voltron, and GZA happen to be the head." Perfect description of we might expect from KG while leading the defense. He has been the backbone of the defense on every team he has played on. With KG patrolling the paint, the Wolves will form like Voltron.

Ghostface Killah – Zach LaVine

Ghostface has a completely unique style. His flow is erratic but energetic. Like Ghost, LaVine is often erratic. But it is this same erraticism that allows LaVine to cut through the defense on a fast break and finish with flash. Both Ghost and LaVine’s best moments have come outside of the team context. Oft-heralded as the Wu member with the best solo music career, Ghost’s work in Supreme Clientele and Only Built 4 Cuban Links... albums are the highlights of his career. Of course, LaVine’s greatest NBA moment thus far was at the 2015 Sprite Slam Dunk Contest.

Also, both of their personality points are through the roof:

In Can It All, Method Man says, "Ghostface Killah…he on some now you see me, now you don’t." This must be how a defender feels when LaVine flies past him at midcourt and by the time the defender turns around LaVine is running back on defense after stuffing the ball through the rim.

Raekwon – Andrew Wiggins

Rae is quiet. Rae puts in work. Rae is the best lyricist on the Wu.

Wiggins is quiet. Wiggins puts in work. Wiggins is the best scorer on the Wolves.

Both Raekwon and Wiggins put in consistent effort with flashes of brilliance. In Can It All Method Man states, "And Shallah Raekwon, he the Chef. He cookin’ up some marvelous shit to get your mouth waterin.’" How many times did we watch Wiggins have a B-grade game, but then do something like destroy Ruby Gobert’s self-confidence twice? That shit is marvelous and it has my mouth waterin’ for years of A-grade games to come.

Method Man – Karl-Anthony Towns

Method Man has always been the most charismatic member of the Wu. The girls love him, and the guys want to be him. He was the only one with his own song in the group’s debut album. He was set up to have the most successful music career, and he arguably has had the greatest career in the entertainment industry as a whole (although a strong case could be made for the RZA).

In his four months with the Timberwolves, Karl-Anthony Towns is already the most charismatic member of the team. As a number one overall pick, he has been saddled with the expectation of being the best player on the Wolves. If he can meet these basketball expectations, KAT has the personality to be a larger-than-basketball figure.

Both also had the opportunity to cash in on their talent at the expense of the team. Despite the Wu’s decline in popularity, Method Man has showed up on each Wu album, displaying incredible loyalty. KAT displayed similar unselfishness when he sacrificed his numbers for the greater good of his Kentucky team.

Ol' Dirty Bastard (R.I.P.) – Shabazz Muhammad

This is another pretty obvious comparison. Like ODB’s rap skills, Bazz’s style is completely baffling. The process is ugly, the execution is ugly, it sometimes makes you scratch your head, but the finished product is beautiful. As Meth explains in Can It All, "…then we got the Ol’ Dirty Bastard. Cuz they ain’t no father to his style." Like ODB, there aren’t many predecessors to Shabazz’s game. Whether it is the hilariously rare nature of the Bazzist or his insistence on taking defenders to the left block for a hook shot as a 6’ 6" wing, Shabazz continues to contribute in unique ways to the NBA game.

Over a decade before Kanye spawned the "Imma let you finish" meme, ODB was bum rushing the Grammys stage and letting the world know that Wu-Tang is for the children. Bizzare, baffling, amazing.

Inspectah Deck – Nikola Pekovic

Inspectah Deck’s style exemplifies the proliferation of mid-90s hyper-intelligent lyricism in hip hop. Similarly, Pek’s style of the lumbering big-man with an ideal combination of brute-force and touch around the rim exemplifies what was considered the centerpiece of any successful NBA offense in the mid-90s. Watch Pek score zero face-up baskets in his career-high 34-point effort. This is particularly remarkable in the current small-ball era.

Both Inspectah Deck and Pek started their respective careers in a blaze. Inspectcah Deck was arguably the star of the Wu’s critically acclaimed sophomore double-album, Wu-Tang Forever. His opening verse in Triumph, a beacon of the polysyllabic rhyme scheme, is often cited as one the greatest hip hop verses of all-time. However, Inspectah Deck failed to parlay these moments into a noteworthy solo career and failed to reach those who weren’t already die-hard Wu-Tang fans.

Similarly, Pek came into the league and started dominating already established big men like DeMarcus Cousins and DeAndre Jordan. His star was bright. However, stints of double-digit days on the injury report, and potentially career-threatening injuries have significantly dimmed his star. While Inspectah Deck is unlikely to come back to relevance in the music industry, Wolves fans hold out hope that Pek will be able to salvage his career for a few more years of post dominance.

Masta Killa – Nemanja Bjelica

Parallels lie between Masta Killa and Nemanja Bjelica’s journeys to joining their respective teams. Masta Killa was incarcerated at the time of the recording of 36 Chambers and thus appears only once on this debut album. He was, in effect, the last of the original nine members to join the Wu. He did not truly develop chemistry with the rest of the Wu until Wu-Tang Forever. And while playing professional basketball in Turkey is not the same as being incarcerated in prison, Bjelica is the most recent player to join the team. He will bring his already-polished game and will need to find a way to fit into a group that already has some chemistry.

Since his release from prison, Masta Killa appeared and held his own in most Wu-Tang albums. He also released a handful of well-received solo albums. It’s one of those things where all die-hard Wu fans love Masta Killa and swear by his skill, but very few are actually well-versed in his catalogue. Wu fans know Masta Killa is really good, but most Wu fans could not name you their favorite song from each Masta Killa album. Similarly, Wolves fans know Bjelica is a Euroleague MVP and supposedly has a well-rounded set of skills that should make him an elite NBA role-player. But few Wolves fans have spent time watching Fenerbahçe Ülker games to truly understand his game. He remains a bit of an enigma.

Also, they both have dope ass names.

U-God and Damjan Rudez are both the last man on the roster. Even so, both provide something their respective teams can use. Rudez boasts a career 41% three-point shooting, something the Wolves are sorely lacking. U-God provides a deep, booming voice and adds another rugged flow to the Wu. While he doesn’t necessarily stand out, it is this ability to fit in seamlessly that makes him a valuable member of the Wu.

Moreover, U-God’s verses in both Triumph and Gravel Pit are indispensable contributions to the Wu oeuvre. In a long 82-game season, one hopes that Rudez has a couple games where he goes 5-for-7 from beyond the arc and is integral in a Wolves' victory.

As the season tips off tonight versus the Lakers, Wolves fans across the globe hope to see the individual talents on this team forming together like Voltron and contending for a playoff spot. While the upcoming season is unlikely to be the Wolves’ version of 36 Chambers, I would settle for Iron Flag.