The Minnesota Timberwolves have announced coach and president of basketball operations Flip Saunders has been diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma. Doctors are saying it's "very treatable" and a "curable form of cancer," which he is currently undergoing chemotherapy treatment for. He was diagnosed eight weeks ago and immediately started undergoing treamtent at the Mayo Clinic. He will continue his duties in the front office and coaching during this process.
From the Timberwolves:
Timberwolves President of Basketball Operations and Head Coach Flip Saunders today announced that he has been diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma and is currently undergoing chemotherapy treatment for what his doctors called a “very treatable and curable form of cancer.”
The initial diagnosis came eight weeks ago during an examination by Timberwolves Vice President of Team Medical Services Sheldon Burns. Saunders immediately started the treatment process with a medical team at Mayo Clinic.
“I am taking it step by step and day by day to understand how to best manage this process,” said Saunders, who has attended to all of his team duties throughout the period of diagnosis and treatment.
“I want to thank Dr. Burns as well as my medical team at Mayo Clinic for their hard work in diagnosing my situation and creating a plan to help me achieve a cancer-free outcome. I am attacking this with the same passion I do everything in my life, knowing this is a serious issue. I also know that God has prepared me to fight this battle.”
Saunder joined the Wolves organization in May 1995 as the general manager before being named coach of the team in addition to his front-office duties in December of that year. He coached the Wolves to eight straight playoff appearances from 1997 to 2004, but was fired in February 2005 when a team coming off a Western Conference finals appearance had accumulated just a 25-26 record.
After coaching stints in both Detroit and Washington, Saunders returned to the Wolves in May 2013 as president of basketball operations and part owner. In June 2014, he assumed coaching duties following the departure of Rick Adelman.
