Timberwolves' Joe Ingles gets rare start so his autistic son can see him play for the first time

Minnesota Timberwolves caput manager Chris Finch gave guardant Joe Ingles a infinitesimal to retrieve during the team’s 134-93 triumph implicit the New Orleans Pelicans astatine the Target Center connected Friday.

Ingles, 37, was successful the starting lineup for the archetypal clip successful 3 years, and it wasn’t due to the fact that Finch was looking to spark the team. 

Ingles’ household were successful municipality for the game, arsenic they unrecorded successful Orlando. Ingles has 3 kids with his woman Renae, and 1 of his kids, eight-year-old Jacob, is autistic. 

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Minnesota Timberwolves defender Joe Ingles (7) warms up earlier a crippled against the Los Angeles Lakers astatine Crypto.com Arena connected February 27, 2025.  (Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Images)

In Orlando, Jacob goes to a schoolhouse helium loves and a location that provides him with a harmless haven, according to The Athletic. 

For the archetypal clip ever, Jacob was capable to beryllium done an NBA crippled from commencement to finish. Jacob had ne'er been capable to beryllium done an full crippled before, owed to sensory overload from being successful an NBA arena. 

During the Timberwolves' crippled against the Utah Jazz connected Sunday, Renae and her kids retreated to the household country during halftime. Jacob told his parent that erstwhile helium got into the room, helium didn’t privation to miss immoderate of the action. 

"Have the timer connected and ticker the timepiece truthful that I don’t miss a 2nd of the action," Jacob said to his mom, The Athletic noted.

Renae couldn’t judge what she heard, double-checking with him to marque definite helium was serious. But Jacob was firm. He wanted to ticker the 2nd half. 

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Joe Ingles, #7 of the Minnesota Timberwolves, looks connected during the crippled against the New Orleans Pelicans connected March 21, 2025, astatine Target Center successful Minneapolis, Minnesota.  (David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images)

"Why? I tin play the PlayStation astatine home. I’m present to ticker my dad," Jacob said. 

The lone occupation for the Ingles household was that Joe didn’t extremity up playing successful that crippled connected Sunday.

Finch heard that Jacob had made it done an full NBA game, and wanted to springiness the Ingles household a accidental to spot Joe play successful their last crippled successful Minnesota earlier they returned to Orlando. 

So, Finch inserted Joe into the starting lineup to guarantee that Jacob would spot his dada play. 

"Sometimes you gotta bash the quality thing. We ever speech astir however each these minutes matter, and (Ingles’) minutes mattered for different reason," Finch said. 

When Finch called Joe into his bureau to archer him the program that helium was starting, helium was caught disconnected guard.

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Minnesota Timberwolves defender Anthony Edwards (5) and defender Joe Ingles (7) speech during a escaped propulsion against the Milwaukee Bucks successful the 2nd 4th astatine Target Center connected February 12, 2025. (Brad Rempel-Imagn Images)

"Are you sure?" Ingles asked. 

The crippled was of monolithic value for the Timberwolves, arsenic they are battling for the all-important No. 6 effect to debar having to play successful Play-In Tournament. 

Sure enough, Ingles started. He didn’t play well, going 0-3 shooting successful conscionable six minutes, but that didn’t substance to the Ingles family. 

"Tonight was a milestone nighttime for our family, and I conscionable had to share! I don’t usually station overmuch NBA content, but this infinitesimal was excessively peculiar to support to myself," Renae posted to Instagram.

"For the archetypal clip ever, Jacob made it done an full NBA crippled – retired successful the stands cheering for his Dads team!"

"Watching him soak successful each moment, I couldn’t assistance but teardrop up with pride. It’s been 6 years of hard work, dedication, and perseverance to scope this point, and present we are, riding precocious connected this unthinkable achievement."

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Minnesota Timberwolves defender Joe Ingles (7) dribbles against the Portland Trail Blazers successful the 4th fourth astatine Target Center connected February 8, 2025.  (Matt Blewett-Imagn Images)

"Feeling incredibly thankful for this travel and each the enactment we’ve had throughout."

"This is the stuff," Joe said, "I’ll retrieve forever."

The Timberwolves notched the triumph connected Friday night, but much importantly, the Ingles household walked distant with a representation that volition past a lifetime. 

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