Timberwolves introduce Cole Aldrich, "I've been a Timberwolves fan all my life"

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (KMSP) - Cole Aldrich is getting the ultimate fan experience with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

“I’ve been a Timberwolves fan all my life, whether I was in Oklahoma City or playing for New York,” Aldrich said. “You root for your city, and for me to be home I just want to go out there and play hard.”

The Wolves introduced their newest player on Thursday morning in front of the media and members of his immediate family, an event more homecoming than press conference.

“I texted [my dad] and said ‘Dad, I’m coming home,” Aldrich said.

“Did you kind of understand that or did you not?” Cole asked his father, who was in attendance.

“I thought you were coming home from vacation,” Walt Aldrich responded.

Aldrich is also excited to be a piece of the Wolves’ roster that includes Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns.

“I hated guarding him,” Aldrich said about Towns. “I’m glad I am on his side.”

Cole says that he prides himself on his defense and believes he has a similar mindset to his new head coach Tom Thibodeau. Aldrich also has the signs to show that he’s not afraid to get physical on the playing floor.

“As you can tell, I have a few scars and I have a missing tooth,” Aldrich said while removing his false front tooth.

Cole comes back to Minnesota with a championship from his college days. Aldrich played for Kansas when the Jayhawks won the NCAA National Title in 2008. That’s a goal he hopes to accomplish here in time.

“I’m not going to sit up here and guarantee a championship like LeBron,” Aldrich said.

While there are no guarantees from Aldrich, he thinks things are going in the right direction at Target Center.

“It takes time. You have to go through the grind and get through some tough times,” Aldrich said. “There are going to be some really good years ahead.”