Last night, Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch made a touching decision that transcended basketball. Finch started veteran forward Joe Ingles in the Timberwolves’ game against the New Orleans Pelicans, ensuring that Ingles’ autistic son, Jacob, could watch his father play for the first time in person.
Jacob, who has faced challenges with sensory overload in arena environments, recently achieved the milestone of attending his first full NBA game earlier this week. However, in that game, Joe Ingles did not see the floor. Determined to create a special moment for the Ingles family, Finch not only ensured Joe played but gave him his first start since January 2022.
This Joe Ingles story
Joe’s wife, Renae, and their 3 kids are in town. Last week, their son Jacob, who is autistic, made it through his first ever NBA game in-arena. But Joe didn’t play…
Tonight, Chris Finch started Ingles to make sure Jacob could see his dad play
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— NBA (@NBA) March 22, 2025
Finch reflected on the decision during the postgame press conference, saying,
“Sometimes, you’ve got to do the human thing. Those minutes mattered for another reason.”
“Sometimes, you gotta do the human thing.”
Timberwolves HC Chris Finch talks giving Joe Ingles the start with his family in attendance
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— NBA (@NBA) March 22, 2025
The Timberwolves rallied behind the gesture, delivering a dominant 134-93 victory over the Pelicans.
Although Ingles played just six minutes and did not score, the night was about much more than statistics. Jacob, along with his mother and siblings, proudly watched as Joe took the court, creating a memory that will last a lifetime. Ingles expressed his gratitude and emphasized the importance of raising awareness for autism, stating,
“The reality of it is, I don’t think people understand. And it gets kind of confused because of the money and the lifestyle of what we get to live. There’s a little less stress because I can afford to pay for Jacob, to get what he needs. But it doesn’t take away the meltdowns in the supermarket, or like there’s been so many times with my wife, where he’s laying on the floor in public and you can feel people staring at you. You know they’re judging you, you know they’ll comment about it. But they have know idea what he’s going through that day, or the night before, or the situation… ever since he got diagnosed, that’s been what we’ve tried to do…. deal with the awareness… shit’s real! It doesn’t matter who you are… All we can do is talk about it and give Jacob the best chance to fit in this crazy world.”
Joe Ingles spoke from the heart tonight
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— SneakerReporter (@SneakerReporter) March 22, 2025
The humanity within sports, and the power of small gestures to make a big impact, speaks volume of how Chris Finch has led this Timberwolves team ever since taking over, caring not only about results and performances, but also about his players as human beings.
Joe Ingles and his fam after the game @JonKrawczynski
— Spencer Rea, CPA (@SpencerRea3) March 22, 2025
