A view of the Minnesota Timberwolves logo Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

The Minnesota Timberwolves are officially taking flight.

In a release Wednesday, the Timberwolves announced that they have hired ex-NBA forward James "Flight" White as a player development assistant. White will join the staff of Minnesota head coach Chris Finch.

White, 40, is a familiar name to hoops fans. Famous for his dunking ability, White was in many memorable dunk contests over the years. He starred in the McDonald’s High School Slam Dunk Contest in 2001, the NCAA College Slam Dunk Contest in 2006 and the NBA Slam Dunk Contest in 2013.

While White’s three-year NBA career was otherwise unspectacular, he did win a title as a member of the San Antonio Spurs in 2007 (before having a long career overseas). White had been coaching in The Basketball League (TBL) in recent years for the Houston Push and the Sugarland Imperials. Now White is making the leap to NBA coach and might be a particularly good fit with this high-flying Timberwolves player.

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