50 Cent hops on Timberwolves bandwagon after Target Center visit
As reporters were waiting for Timberwolves coach Chris Finch for his pregame availability ahead of Sunday night’s game against the Houston Rockets, a familiar face entered the media room.
It was, however, a surprising guest appearance.
Curtis Jackson, better known as 50 Cent, whose Sire Spirits are the official spirit partner of the Timberwolves, briefly walked through before taking his courtside seat next to Timberwolves owner Alex Rodriguez.
The in-arena videoboard at one point panned over to him during the game, with his 2003 hit “In Da Club” blasting over the Target Center sound system.
50's visit to Minneapolis and Target Center has seen him jump on the Timberwolves bandwagon. On Monday, he said on Twitter that he told Rodriguez during the game that he thinks the Timberwolves are going to win the championship this year.
Rodriguez told him that’s he’s an "oddly smart guy" and that he’s right on target.
I told @AROD 🤔 I think the Timberwolves win the championship this year. He smiled at me and said 50 you know, you’re an oddly smart guy YOUR RIGHT! • https://t.co/jnbpt4Vpb3 pic.twitter.com/c6P4E2KMdb
— 50cent (@50cent) February 5, 2024
It’s hard to argue with the results. The Timberwolves are currently 35-15 and tied with the Oklahoma City Thunder for the top spot in the Western Conference standings. Sunday’s win over the Rockets ensured Finch and his coaching staff would coach the Western Conference at the NBA All-Star Game on Feb. 18 in Indianapolis.
50 Cent isn’t the first rapper to make predictions about the NBA. In 2016, the Thunder blew a 3-1 lead in the Western Conference finals to the Golden State Warriors. Many NBA fans speculated that was because of a curse that Lil B TheBasedGod placed on Kevin Durant. He lifted the curse the following year after Durant joined the Warriors — Lil B is a Bay Area guy — and Durant won his first championship in Golden State.
KEVIN DURANT WILL NEVER WIN THE TITLE AFTER HE SAID "LIL B" IS A WACK RAPPER,
— Lil B THE BASEDGOD (@LILBTHEBASEDGOD) May 26, 2011
"THE BASEDGODS CURSE"#THEBASEDGODSCURSE ON DURANT - Lil B
"The BasedGod" wants to speak,As life unravels and superstars make decisions that change lifes, welcome home KD the curse is lifted - Lil B
— Lil B THE BASEDGOD (@LILBTHEBASEDGOD) July 4, 2016
Meanwhile, after a bizarre halftime performance during a Milwaukee Bucks game in 2019, Ja Rule placed a curse on the Timberwolves for a 30-year championship drought after their social media team poked fun at the rapper on Twitter.
You just jinx yourself talking to the GOD this way... your CURSED NOW!!! You won’t win a championship for the next 30 years... AND KAT IS LEAVING!!! Apologize and I’ll lift the CURSE!!! 😘 kiss of death... https://t.co/RzUn4vKx2Y
— Ja Rule (@jarule) February 24, 2019
Oh no ... a decades-long title drought for a Minnesota sports team. How will fans possibly cope?!
That said, Ja Rule also predicted Karl-Anthony Towns would leave in free agency, so his curses perhaps aren’t quite as powerful as Lil B’s.
@SacramentoKings @Timberwolves you’ve both been hit with the CURSE no CHAMPIONSHIPS for y’all... 😭😂🤣 And @KarlTowns is gonna leave in free agency!!! 😘
— Ja Rule (@jarule) February 26, 2019
And now the Timberwolves have the 50 Cent blessing.
