Christian Laettner took one last rip for the road, painting some Minnesota teammates as selfish and tearing into management for failing to make the Timberwolves better.
After the team's final home game of the season - and perhaps its last game ever in Minnesota - Laettner said the Timberwolves won't start winning consistently until they add more players like him."I'm not worried about my game. I'm more worried about the team getting some players around me," he said after Friday's 118-103 loss to Portland.
"I'm 200 rebounds ahead of anyone on this team. I want someone to compete with me. I don't want to be the second-leading assist person on the team. There should be guards that beat me.
"So until they get players around me . . . I don't have to worry about my game that much. Because I'm doing all right."
The Timberwolves, who might move if a public bailout of Target Center doesn't win legislative approval by month's end, are 20-61 going into Sunday's finale at Dallas.
They have lost at least 60 games in four of their five seasons and the losing obviously has worn on Laettner, who arrived last season after winning two NCAA titles with Duke.
He has earned suspensions for missing practice and swearing at coaches, has been criticized by teammates for playing too selfishly and by coaches for not shooting enough, has feuded with fellow captain Chuck Person and has battled referees.
But it hasn't been all bad for the player some consider the NBA's reigning Bad Boy.
"My dream was to play well in the NBA and I'm doing that," said Laettner. "My dream was to make a lot of money and be able to give it to my family and friends. So I'm very happy with my life.
"Just because we lose every night and I don't walk out of here laughing doesn't mean that I'm not happy."