John Thomas is an executive with the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves, where oversees basketball development for both Minnesota's NBA and WNBA franchises. As a former NBA player, he played for the Boston Celtics, Toronto Raptors, Atlanta Hawks, and his hometown Timberwolves, and was a part of the University of Minnesota's Final Four run in the 1997 NCAA Tournament his senior year in college.
In this conversation, Evan Burk talks with John about making the Final Four in college, his professional career in the NBA, playing overseas, and returning to the NBA, and the profound impact his basketball journey had on his own personal development.
Get Evan's book, Finding Intangibles, to learn about how high-performing teams are built and the hidden character traits that drive all elite performers and organizations.
To stay up to date with Evan and The Highest Level podcast, sign up for Evan's leadership newsletter.
--
Topics Discussed:
2:00 | John's beginnings as an athlete
4:15 | Ending up at the University of Minnesota
6:00 | The essence of culture that was set by Coach Clem Haskins on the Minnesota basketball team
8:00 | Subtle ways the coaching staff built the culture
10:15 | University of Minnesota's Final Four run his senior year
14:45 | Adjusting to the NBA and the approach of NBA coaches
22:45 | Playing overseas and his journey back to the NBA
33:45| John's role as an NBA executive
38:45 | Where John focuses in his own personal growth
