Jim Brandon's Blog & Insights
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A Jersey, a Hallway, and a Full-Circle Moment 25 Years in the Making
Some moments in sport don’t live on scoreboards.
Jim Brandon arrived at the Scotia Bank Arena in Toronto very early.
He waited quietly outside Timberwolves visiting team change room, choosing the hallway rather than the spotlight — carrying the weight of what this moment meant — not just professionally, but personally.
Brandon wore a custom jersey he had printed for the occasion: FINCH 00 on the back, and on the front — even more special —
Proud Coach of Coach Finchy,
a nickname from Finch’s Sheffield Sharks Official days.
Brandon himself left the Boston Celtics to play successfully in Europe, later transitioning into a seasoned coach overseas.
And here he was again — with the quiet pride of a coach.
The players entered first.
Finch lagged behind.
Then his eyes found Jim.
Recognition came instantly.
“Hey. Jim B?”
Finch burst out laughing as he took in the jersey, the message — and the man standing in front of him. As he stepped closer, a strong, familiar hug erased 25 years of separation.
Brandon laughed too.
This wasn’t staged or for show. It was raw. Human. Earned.
The Timberwolves media shared the moment as a Special Surprise — and fans felt it immediately.
“That's the biggest smile I've seen on dude!” one wrote about Finch.
Another added,
"Coaches have the potential to be family to their team. Sometimes it’s just so obvious. Great moment!”
And that’s exactly what this was.
Not spectacle.
But a full-circle moment — where mentorship reveals itself years later, not just in plays, but beyond the game.
Sheffield Sharks also shared it the next day as a Thursday Throwback.
Longtime fans on the other side of the Atlantic remembered, commenting, “What a team,” and
“Two legends of British basketball history.”
As universal as basketball itself — a UK story unfolding in Canada, where the game was born. The Timberwolves facing the Raptors in Toronto, a city where Finch also once coached.
Careers move on, roles change — one universal message remained: sport creates human connections.
Some of the most rewarding moments for a coach are witnessing legacy and getting to say,
“I can’t tell you how proud I am of you man.”
