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Yankees legend A-Rod Gets A Very Cold Welcome As NBA Ownership Moves Forward

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Kristie Ackert | Last updated Feb 12, 2025 8:00 AM ET

Even in the NBA areas way out west, former New York Yankees’ star Alex Rodriguez can’t start fresh. The three-time American League Most Valuable Player and 14-time MLB All-Star is set to become the new owner of the Minnesota Timberwolves with Marc Lore after an arbitration panel ruled in his favor this week.

However, Rodriguez's good news was greeted in the local Minnesota Star-Tribune with a column titled: “Becoming Timberwolves owner still won’t get Alex Rodriguez my Baseball Hall of Fame vote.”

Long-time Minneapolis sports columnist Patrick Reusse wrote the column in response to the news that a three-person arbitration panel has sided with prospective Minnesota Timberwolves owners Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez in a sales contract dispute against current owner Glen Taylor. This will allow them to continue the process of becoming the Timberwolves and WNBA’s Lynx’s majority ownership group, including a high-stakes vote among fellow NBA owners to decide control of the franchise.

The controversial former Yankees cannot shake his tainted legacy even in this new arena while investing in a new community.

A first-ballot Hall of Famer at one time, Rodriguez's career was ruined by the use of performance-enhancing drugs. He clearly ruined his chance of getting Reusse's vote.

"A-Rod? He's the worst of the steroid superstars in my view: Caught twice, alternating between lies and true confessions intended to gain a sympathetic reaction from the public," Reusse wrote.

"So go ahead and cheer A-Rod mightily, Target Center fans. That won't change his status as a two-time steroids sniveler for me as a Hall of Fame voter."

Rodriguez admitted to use before MLB began drug testing in 2004 and was suspended for the entire 2014 season for violating MLB's performance-enhancing drugs policy.

Rodriguez finished his 22-year career with 696 home runs, which is the fourth-highest in MLB history.

Rodriguez got 146 votes or 37.1% of the total votes on the 2025 Baseball Hall of Fame ballot. A player needs 75% to be elected into Cooperstown. With just six years left on the ballot, Rodriguez is a long shot at best to make it.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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