MINNEAPOLIS _ The first time Gersson Rosas met Andrew Wiggins after taking over as Timberwolves president, Rosas immediately went to pick up Wiggins' daughter, Amyah. Wiggins wasn't sure how the interaction would go.
"She lets people pick her up, but ... she's better with women," Wiggins said. "With guys, she's more skeptical."
Not knowing this, Rosas charged ahead. Wiggins watched closely. Amyah seemed OK. No crying or anything. A success.
"Gersson just picked her right up and she was cool with it," Wiggins said.
When recalling that moment recently, Rosas couldn't help but crack up.
"I got a lot of credibility from him off of that," Rosas said.
The relationship has grown from there.
When Rosas took over, he made it clear what he and coach Ryan Saunders expected of Wiggins. Over and over again, interview after interview they would say the team needed more from a player on a maximum contract. Meanwhile, off-court chatter often focused on whether the Wolves would try to find a trade partner _ anyone, even at a cost _ to take Wiggins off their hands.
Instead, the Wolves seem to have managed to make an even better trade: The old Wiggins for the new one _ a player who early on this season is averaging career-highs in points, assists, rebounds and three-point attempts, as well as several key efficiency markers.
Getting Wiggins to buy in to what they were selling and getting him to revamp his game was going to be harder than just simply telling him to take fewer midrange jump shots. They had to connect with Wiggins. From his years as an assistant coach, Saunders already had a strong foundation with Wiggins, but now he was the head coach and had to hold Wiggins to account. Rosas, who has 3-year-old twins, had to forge a relationship. All three made their connection stronger since the spring.
They did it by sharing their bond as fathers.
"It's definitely something that has helped all of our relationships," Saunders said, "when you have a common interest that is family."
