When it comes to courtside celebrities, no NBA team compares to the New York Knicks. Cosmopolitan magazine recently rated Madison Square Garden’s star-watching as “better than the Met Gala.”
In Wolves Country, where TV news anchors top lists of local notables, we may not draw Spike Lee, Timothée Chalamet or Martha Stewart. But even for the casual Wolves fan who thought OKC was just an airport code, spotting boldface names in the Target Center crowd can add to the excitement.
James Goldstein, an NBA superfan, sits courtside before Game 3 Saturday of the Western Conference finals between the Timberwolves and the Oklahoma City Thunder at Target Center. (Alex Kormann/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Jimmy Goldstein, octogenarian NBA superfan hailing from Los Angeles, was among the famous faces courtside Saturday evening at Target Center for Game 3 of the Western Conference finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder. And arguably the best dressed, in a white cowboy hat and sparkle-adorned Balmain leather jacket he picked up in Paris.
Goldstein, who has seen thousands of games around the country, said Wolves fans have “very good enthusiasm,” though not as much as OKC’s supporters demonstrated at the past two games, which he attended. But he had a good feeling about the Wolves’ chances. “The last six minutes of game two, the Timberwolves played with great intensity,” he said. “If they can play like that, they can win tonight.”
Chef Billy Tserenbat, owner of Billy’s Sushi, mingles with fans courtside Saturday before Game 3 of the Western Conference finals between the Timberwolves and the Oklahoma City Thunder at Target Center. (Alex Kormann/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Chef Billy Tserenbat, better known as Billy Sushi of the eponymous North Loop restaurant, says that growing up in Mongolia, watching the NBA felt like a dream. Now that he’s planted on the Target Center hardwood, he says he feels like he’s living that vision. “I love watching the game because it brings everyone together,” he said. “It’s just fans united in the energy of the moment — and right now that energy in Minnesota is absolutely insane.”
Rochester native and rapper Yung Gravy, whose career broke out in 2017 with his hit song “Mr. Clean,” returned to Minnesota from L.A. for Saturday’s game.
Timberwolves superfan John Sweeney, aka “Jiggly Boy,” cheers before Game 3 on Saturday of the Western Conference finals between the Timberwolves and the Oklahoma City Thunder at Target Center. (Alex Kormann/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Superfan John “Jiggly Boy” Sweeney, known for dancing shirtless with “KG” written on his stomach, attended the game with sons William, 22, and Michael, 19. They first appeared on the Jumbotron with their dad a decade ago when Kevin Garnett made his return to Target Center.
Jordan Dye, another Wolves superfan, stands courtside Saturday before Game 3 of the Western Conference finals between the Wolves and the Oklahoma City Thunder. (Alex Kormann/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Local street-fashionwear owner Jordan Dye is another superfan and courtside fixture, with his Dennis Rodman-inspired neon hair. “The way that the Target Center energy has been this year and last year ... the whole city just kind of forms around the team,” Dye said. “I think that goes a long way of creating the energy and atmosphere.”