Karen Brodkin, co-head of WME Sports said it didn’t make sense to keep their business units separate. “What we’re building with Bill and his team is a great cultural fit for our team,” Brodkin said. “… We wanted to be together in a more productive and efficient way to serve clients.” Carlos Fleming, the head of basketball marketing and off-court strategy, and Joe Branch, the head of basketball strategy and business development, will continue to be a part of the WME basketball division.
Joe Branch Rumors
Marc Stein: Timberwolves front office executive Joe Branch is nearing a return to the world of player representation with a move to BDA Sports and WME Sports, league sources say. More NBA from me: marcstein.Substack.com
09 Jun 22
Dell Demps joining Timberwolves front office
Jon Krawczynski: The Timberwolves are finalizing an agreement with Dell Demps to join Tim Connelly’s front office staff, sources tell @Shams Charania and me. Demps will work closely with Connelly, Sachin Gupta, Matt Lloyd, Joe Branch and Manny Rohan as the draft looms
Timberwolves brass on hand included general manager Gersson Rosas, coach Ryan Saunders, assistant general manager Joe Branch, and others, leaguesources told HoopsHype. The team showed video highlights of Beasley during his time with the team, messages from Twins star Nelson Cruz, local business owners, customized Vikings jerseys, newspaper cutouts, and more. It left an imprint on Beasley, as well as Rosas and the organization publicly supporting him during his legal situation.
Branch has had to lean on every bit of his experience, personal and professional, to emerge as a pivotal part of the Timberwolves’ march forward through such harrowing circumstances. The adjunct professor in him has helped put together team meetings featuring guest speakers on the subject of law enforcement interaction with people of color. The youth mentor in him has tried to shift the focus from the anger generated from watching Floyd die at the hands of Minneapolis police to resourcefulness in finding solutions to the problems with which they are confronted. The agent and executive in him has helped do all of that while continuing to evaluate talent for the draft and give input on the team’s path forward after a 19-45 first season that ended prematurely due to a global pandemic. “The guy has been a godsend for us,” Rosas said.
When Branch first decided to take the job last summer, he knew he would be helping Rosas to rebuild a basketball team. Now he finds himself trying to rebuild a community as well. They are doing it all while preparing for the draft, free agency and a crucial second season in charge. If they can get things on track on the court, the opportunities for Branch will keep coming. “I believe in him a ton and believe he’s going to be a star in this league,” Rosas said. “We have to continue to hire high-caliber people in our organization because I believe guys like Sachin, Gianluca and Joe are going to be running their own programs at some point.”
