Chris Finch

Lore & Background

Finch is a 1992 graduate of Franklin & Marshall College, where he was an NCAA Division III All-American in 1991 and 1992. He began his playing career in England with the Sheffield Forgers. He started his head coaching career with the Sheffield Sharks, later coached the Giessen 46ers, Euphony Bree, and Dexia Mons-Hainaut. He became head coach of the Rio Grande Valley Vipers in 2009, winning the D-League championship and Coach of the Year. He joined the Houston Rockets as an assistant coach in 2011, later served as assistant for the Denver Nuggets, New Orleans Pelicans, and Toronto Raptors. He was named head coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves on February 22, 2021. He led the Timberwolves to the largest Game 7 comeback in NBA history in 2024, beating the Denver Nuggets, but lost to the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference Finals. He also coached the Great Britain men's national team at EuroBasket 2009, 2011, and the 2012 Summer Olympics.

In Their Own Story

The arena hums with the low vibration of pre-game warmups. Finch stands near the baseline, clipboard tucked under his arm, eyes scanning the hardwood patterns. He watches a player shoot from deep, noting the arc without saying a word. The noise fades into the background as he traces a play in his mind, visualizing cuts and screens before the tip-off. It is a quiet moment of focus amidst the chaos, where strategy meets instinct.

Reader's Guide

Chris Finch is the head coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves. He took over on February 22, 2021. In his first full season, he led the team to a 46–36 record and a playoff berth. He suffered a patellar tendon rupture in Game 4 of the 2024 first-round series against the Phoenix Suns. He signed a multi-year extension on April 11, 2022, and another on June 24, 2024.

Did You Know?

• Finch was an NCAA Division III All-American in 1991 and 1992 at Franklin & Marshall College.
• He won a championship in the Belgian League with Euphony Bree in 2005.
• He was named D-League Coach of the Year in 2010 after leading the Rio Grande Valley Vipers to a championship.
• Finch coached the Great Britain men's national team at the 2012 Summer Olympics.
• He led the Timberwolves to the largest Game 7 comeback in NBA history in 2024.