At his introductory press conference Friday – a day after being dealt to Minnesota – new Timberwolves guard Ayo Dosunmu was asked to best describe his game.

“I would say someone that competes on both ends of the court, get out in transition, use my speed, push the pace, get guys involved, very efficient,” Dosunmu said. “I take pride in being an efficient basketball player, getting to the line, making my open shots, being aggressive. Always being aggressive at every mark of the game and try to leave my imprints on the game.”

When can you start?

That’s exactly what a currently flat Wolves team needs, as proven again in Friday’s 119-115 loss to the lowly Pelicans – Minnesota’s third straight defensive dud that left center Rudy Gobert calling for extreme measures of accountability.

If guys aren’t going to hold themselves to certain competitive standards, Gobert suggested Wolves coach Chris Finch take matters into his own hands via benchings.

“(Accountability) should start with ourselves, but it seems like we don’t have that,” Gobert said. “It’s not an easy position for a coach to take guys out of the game. It’s not something that you want to do, but I think if the players don’t show any effort, at some point, no matter how talented we are as a team, if you don’t have that, you just can’t be a winning team.

“Our best players, leaders, if we don’t show any effort, it doesn’t matter if you score 50, we’re not going to win. At some point, if we’re not mature enough to have that accountability ourselves, that might be a solution. And I guarantee you that when we come back onto the court, we’ll show effort.”

Friday was a rare night in which Gobert wasn’t much of a defensive solution for Minnesota. Zion Williamson dominated the game for the Pelicans – as he often seems to do at Target Center. The athletic phenom finished with 29 points on 11 for 13 shooting, with every single attempt coming in the paint. Timberwolves coach Chris Finch noted he wasn’t impressed with the team’s rim protection from Gobert or anyone else.

The general on-ball compete level wasn’t where it needed to be, nor was the game-plan discipline. New Orleans sharpshooter Trey Murphy made three triples in a 67 second span late in the third to pull the Pelicans back into the contest as Minnesota failed to take away his air space.

The Wolves are now 12-11 since Christmas. They’re surrendering 113.6 points per 100 possessions in that span, 15th in the NBA. What should be an elite trait for Minnesota is currently very average. In turn, that’s what the Wolves are as a collective.

“This is who we are as a team. We have to start understanding that,” Gobert said. “Our offense, of course it matters, but the barometer for success is our defense and our effort. And when we have that, we win almost every night. It’s insane how much like, when we just do that we win every night. So it’s crazy that we’re not able to just focus on that.

“The difference it’s straight effort, and it’s gonna be everybody. No one should get a pass for not playing defense.”

Even amid this milquetoast stretch of basketball, Timberwolves basketball boss Tim Connelly noted Minnesota still views itself as a team with a “puncher’s chance” of winning a championship. There is no runaway favorite in this year’s NBA, particularly given the league-wide swath of injuries.

So he pushed to make a move to improve the team at the trade deadline. Minnesota feels it got the perfect player in Dosunmu who can slide in as a bench scorer and, more importantly at the moment, an energetic defensive presence.

What the Wolves may need above all else at the moment is a shot in the arm. They’ll receive that Sunday when Dosunmu slides into the rotation against the Clippers.

“I’m really excited to have someone like that for us that just plays with energy, that just brings physicality,” Gobert said.

Opponents are shooting just 41.4% against Dosunmu this season – a mark that would lead the Wolves. Yet he feels he can be an “even better defender” in Minnesota.

“I think I showcased it some in Chicago, but I don’t think I showcased my full potential,” Dosunmu said. “I think I have definitely a lot more potential to be there and really becoming an elite two-way player, two-way guard in this league. That’s my goal.”

Wolves star Anthony Edwards knows Dosunmu’s defensive capabilities well. He’s been defended by the guard on numerous occasions.

“He’s super long,” Edwards said. “He don’t really jump at moves or pump fakes and stuff. He stay down and make you make tough shots over him. He’s super fundamental on that end.”

And he’s got an edge, something that can only help a Wolves team that currently lacks much bite.

“He’s from Chi-town, so he got some toughness to him,” Edwards said.

“We like that. We like competitive,” Finch said. “I don’t mind edginess. We definitely could use that. That’s what we want.”

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Margie Freed has always been in it for the fun.

The “about me” section on her bio on the US Biathlon website opens with the phrase “Hey Sports Fans!”

Highland Park’s Erin Moening, left, and Eastview’s Margie Freed, who finished respectively second and first, share a laugh after the girls race of the 2016 State Nordic Ski Racing Meet at Giants Ridge in Biwabik, Minn. on Thursday, Feb. 11, 2016. (Pioneer Press: John Autey)

The Eastview alum – who won an individual Nordic state title in 2016 – first joined cross country skiing because her friends were in it. She first reached the state meet as an eighth grader, “which was a sign I had talent,” she noted. Her motivation for continued success was “so I could continue to go on ski trips with friends.”

Freed recalls going to an event at Mall of America that featured skiing stars Jessie Diggins and Kikkan Randall. She didn’t follow skiing much at the time, but took a photo with Diggins “because everyone else was doing it.”

“Now, it’s a great memory,” Freed noted.

Because the Apple Valley native is now an Olympian in her own right, as part of the U.S. Biathlon contingent. Biathlon competition opens Sunday morning in Italy with the mixed relay, as Freed and Co. look to secure the United States’ first ever medal in the sport at some point in these games.

“My dream would be for it to be in a relay,” Freed said, “so we can all share in the excitement.”

That’s what sports have always been about for her. Freed seems to possess an idyllically healthy relationship with competition.

It’s not out of the question, either. Freed was part of a US relay that placed fourth in a World Cup mixed relay race just two weeks ago, a performance that tied a fourth-place finish in 2015 for the country’s best-ever finish in a World Cup event

A star skier at Vermont, Freed’s interest in the biathlon was primarily fueled by a chance “to do something new.” That initial dabbling didn’t come with Olympic aspirations.

“I was more interested in hanging out with teammates and friends on the range,” Freed said.

She’d never even shot a gun prior to that point. Suddenly, she was pulling the trigger as sport. An initially steep learning curve flattened as she discovered the basics. As she’s fine-tuned her abilities, Freed noted improvements are “less noticeable,” while added she probably figured shooting out quickly compared to some.

Freed said picking up a new sport just a couple years ago has served as a “good learning process,” while also testing her ability to keep a smile on her face every day. Many of her original sports-playing friends have since retired from skiing, which has taken away from Freed’s experience in training and racing.

Margie Freed of Team United States looks on during a training session on day minus two of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Anterselva Biathlon Arena on February 04, 2026 in Antholz-Anterselva, Italy. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)

But she’s still been able to draw on support from those close to her, and enjoys hobbies away from the sport such as sewing, line dancing and birding.

Anything to maintain the joy. It’s been a primary motivator for Freed since she got into sports as a kid. Yes, she skied in the winter and did some offseason training in the summer, but she ran cross country and track in the fall and spring, respectively, and played on a club soccer team throughout the year. She kept up with all of them until she graduated high school.

Freed said being a versatile athlete kept her injury free and excited for whatever practice was next.

“I credit a lot of my success to the instillation of fun in the sport,” Freed said.

She won’t let that go – not even under the Olympic lights.

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There’s a snapshot in time that will forever live in the mind of Afton native Jessie Diggins, and it’s not the epic finishing kick at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang that resulted in her bringing home a gold medal.

Instead, it’s the warmup lap before a World Cup race at Theodore Wirth Park in Minneapolis on Feb. 17, 2024, when a wall of noise followed her around the course.

That will stick with her for the rest of her life.

Second placed Jessie Diggins of United States celebrates on the podium after the women’s 20km mass start classic skiing race, at the FIS Cross-Country World Cup at the Nordic Center Goms, in Geschinen, Switzerland, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP)

“I cried like 12 times,” Diggins said. “It was the coolest moment of my career.”

It was a similar refrain from her father Clay and mother Deb as they reflected on the incredible life their daughter has made for herself with cross country skiing at the forefront. They have traveled all over the world watching her compete, but the highlight for them will always be seeing fans from across Minnesota show up to watch a World Cup race in their own backyard.

“I’m getting chills thinking about it,” Clay Diggins said. “I’ll never forget that.”

The same goes for pretty much everybody that was in attendance.

“It was such an amazing event,” Deb Diggins said said. “I could’ve died right there.”

It was the culmination of a lifetime’s worth of hard work for Diggins, who long dreamed of bringing a World Cup race to Minnesota. She was relentless in her pursuit because she wanted to share the sport with as many people from her home state as possible. The fact that she made it happen will always top the list of her accomplishments.

“It’s not about the results for me,” Diggins said. “It’s about giving back.”

That mindset has long served as a compass for Diggins as she has emerged as the face of the cross country skiing. She was provided a platform after winning the gold medal. She used it to grow the sport as much as she could, while also becoming a vocal advocate for mental health and climate change.

That shouldn’t be taken for granted as Diggins prepares to represent her country for the final time at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina. She has been everything cross country skiing could ask for in an ambassador.

As she has navigated the ups and downs along the way, Diggins has left a legacy in Minnesota that will be felt for the foreseeable future. The aftermath of the World Cup race in Minnesota is a small part of that.

“We’ve heard from a lot of people who started cross country skiing because they were so excited about seeing a World Cup race,” Deb Diggins said. “They decided to go out and give it a try after seeing it for themselves.”

The numbers at the grassroots level speak for themselves. Minnesota Youth Ski League executive director Amy Cichanowski noted that their enrollment has more than doubled since Diggins started competing on the international stage. There were 1,707 kids enrolled in the program in 2015-16, according to data provided by the league. There are 3,502 kids enrolled in the program in 2025-26.

“That’s not a coincidence,” Cichanowski said. “It has a lot to do with (Diggins) and the way she carries herself. She’s always been about having fun out there. That’s the perfect way to attract kids to the sport.”

That has been a calling card for Diggins, who has become known for her joy at the starting line as much as her full body collapse at the finish line.

“It’s always been about having fun for her,” Clay Diggins said. “She’s kind of trademarked that with her glitter. She puts it on her face to remind herself that it’s supposed to be fun, even with all the pressure. I think that type of approach has really allowed her to have so much success.”

That has contributed to noticeable spikes for the the Minnesota Youth Ski League as Diggins has competed at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, and now the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina.

“We haven’t had very much snow the past couple of years, so us being able to still attract so many kids says a lot about the momentum,” Cichanowski said. “The role model that she has been for our sport is such an important part of that.”

That sentiment was echoed by the Loppet Foundation executive director Meghan Cosgrove as she emphasized how Diggins has been instrumental in getting people of all ages to try cross country skiing for the first time.

“She’s not just inspiring kids,” Cosgrove said. “She’s also inspiring adults.”

That’s an important part of the equation when it comes to how much Diggins has helped grow the sport. It’s not only about pulling in the 5-year-old that has never done it before. It’s also about pulling in the 55-year-old that has never done it before.

“She’s done so much good for our sport,” Cosgrove said. “You can discover it at any stage of life, and she’s helping people do that.”

In the same breath, Cosgrove praised Diggins for being vulnerable throughout her rise up the ranks, such as sharing her struggle with an eating disorder, which has played a role in inspiring the next generation to face their own struggles.

The impact that Diggins made in that respect goes even deeper than anything she has achieved on the course.

“She made the decision that she was going to share her life with the world,” Clay Diggins said. “We couldn’t be more proud of her for being willing to do that.”

That will forever mean more than any piece of hardware ever could.

“Her ultimate goal from the time she won the gold medal was to use it to get a World Cup race to Minnesota,” Deb Diggins said. “It was her love letter to the community that helped raise her.”

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You may have read recently how minions of the Trump administration removed an exhibit about slavery from the President’s House in Philadelphia (where George Washington lived, with slaves) as part of its ongoing sop to MAGA sensitivities and campaign to erase history in favor of a fairy tale in which the worst thing Washington ever did was chop down a cherry tree.

The study of history is by nature messy, replete with conflicting interpretations and incomplete puzzles, but it’s what you need to know in order not to repeat it. PBS, lately defunded by conservatives but not disassembled, is among the institutions working to bring it to the people — indeed, the only television outlet seriously devoted to it. (History Channel is just a name.) Premiering this week and continuing weekly is the four-part series “Black and Jewish America: An Interwoven History,” presented by Henry Louis Gates Jr., at the start of what happens to be Black History Month.

Gates, who also hosts the PBS genealogy series “Finding Your Roots,” has presented such documentaries as “Africa’s Great Civilizations” and “Great Migrations: A People on the Move,” has made cameo appearances in HBO’s “Watchmen” series and “The Simpsons.” He teaches at Harvard and is a well-known public figure — a history communicator, scholar and storyteller and a minor TV star the world also knows as “Skip.” Even-tempered and even-handed, he’s a good guide through the minefields of racial history — he keeps you from blowing up. You might find yourself angry at the material, but not with Gates.

“Under the floorboards of Western culture run two streams, continuously,” he says. “One is antisemitism, one is anti-Black racism,” whose purpose here is to explore “the areas of overlap.” They aren’t the only victims of bigotry in American history and modern America; Italians and Irish immigrants had their turn, too. White supremacy, which is very much alive in the land — turn on the news — disdains every people of color. But as people who shared the experience of being “mocked and feared, blamed and banished, envied and imitated,” often allied, sometimes antagonists, theirs is a special case.

Gates has assembled a stimulating, illuminating, maddening, saddening, but often inspiring, story of their relations with the world and one another. (Here and there he reaches a little outside his theme.) At 75, he’s lived through a good slice of the history illuminated here, including “our brief golden age” of the 1960s civil rights movement, and though he structures his series as a pendulum swinging between worse and better news, he scrupulously bookends it in a hopeful mood, with a Seder to start and a discussion with students to end. His insistence that no one is safe until everyone is safe, can seem to portend a future in which no one will ever be safe, though as a teacher I assume he’s more sanguine. His manner, at least, is encouraging.

The Seder, which begins with a singing of “Go Down Moses (Let My People Go),” gathers a tableful of Black, white and biracial Jews — each distinguished enough to have their own Wikipedia pages — in a roundtable discussion. Participants include New Yorker editor David Remnick, author Jamaica Kincaid, journalist Esther Fein, rabbi Shais Rishon, Angela Buchdahl (the first East Asian American to be ordained as a rabbi); and culinary historian Michael Twitty, who provides the doubly meal — kosher salt collard greens, West African brisket and potato kugel with sweet and white potatoes and Creole spice.

Though both Jews and Blacks faced (and face) discrimination, their American journeys were launched, says Gates, “on different trajectories,” one group chased from nominally Christian countries, the subject of durable medieval superstitions, the other dragged from their homes. Though the mass of Jewish migration, escaping Russian pogroms and Nazi Germany in succeeding waves, occurred in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, some arrived before the revolution; but the Constitution, which enshrined religious freedom, granted them legal rights. (This presumably did not help the Jews of African descent Gates says were present here early on.) Black people, kidnapped and enslaved, had none, and as freedom was gained, new laws were written to hold them in place.

Gates posits a sympathy between immigrant and first- and second-generation Jewish Americans in the 20th century and disadvantaged Blacks, based on a common experience of oppression; Jewish newspapers used the word “pogrom” to describe violence against Blacks in the South. And Jews, many raised with a sense of social justice, were disproportionately represented among white activists in the civil rights movement. This would change: Where Martin Luther King declared “I’m more convinced than ever before that our destiny is tied up with the destiny of our Jewish brothers and vice versa, and we must work together,” later Black activists, like Stokely Carmichael preferred to go it alone, promoting self-determination and even separation.

Still, many of the stories here are based on Black and Jewish friendships. We learn of W. E. B. Du Bois and Joel Spingarn, who sat together on the board of the NAACP and to whom Du Bois dedicated his 1940 autobiography “Dusk of Dawn.” Of Tuskegee Institute founder Booker T. Washington and philanthropist Julius Rosenwald, a president of Sears, Roebuck and Co., who built schools — more than 5,000 nationally, eventually — for systemically disadvantaged Black students. (Graduates included Maya Angelou and John Lewis.) Of Chicago rabbi Abraham Heschel, bringing 15 other white rabbis down to Selma, Alabama, in 1964 at the request of King, where their arrest made headlines — which translated to political pressure.

In music, we meet Louis Armstrong, who as a boy worked and stayed with a Jewish family, and wore a Star of David, and his manager Joe Glaser. We’re told the story of Billie Holiday’s lynching ballad “Strange Fruit,” written by Abel Meeropol (under his pseudonym Lewis Allan), recorded by Milt Gabler for his Commodore label and performed regularly by Holiday at Barney Josephson’s Cafe Society, New York’s first truly integrated nightclub. And we hear Paul Robeson, daring to sing in Yiddish in a concert in Moscow, in support of Itzik Feffer, a Jewish poet imprisoned (and later murdered) by the Soviets.

As a social and political history covering two intersecting storylines for more than the length of the nation, it’s packed with incident and facts — the Klan resurgent after World War I (6 million members, it says here); the 1936 Berlin Olympics, where Jesse Owens triumphed and the U.S. committee pulled two Jewish sprinters from competition; racist Nazi policies, borrowed from American Jim Crow, and the Holocaust. Also the domestic destabilizing effects of wars in the Middle East. Jews and Blacks will find themselves on the opposite sides of some questions.

Even at four hours, it’s a survey course, streamlined but not simplistic, and as such it will fly through some points and elide others; there are whole volumes dedicated elsewhere to what constitutes a single sentence here, and libraries dedicated to some of these figures. (Why not read some?) The view is not singular, and as such, there’ll be something for everyone to question, especially as Jews and Blacks are often described as a community, when neither is heterogeneous. (Jews don’t even agree on what makes a Jew.)

But whatever goes back and forth between then, the world has its own ideas. “People who hate Jews,” says Gates, “uncannily hate Black people too. Because when the stuff hits the fan, they’re coming after both of us.”

‘Black and Jewish America: An Interwoven History’

How to watch: PBS

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