Jeff Newton named head coach of Iowa Wolves

The Minnesota Timberwolves have announced the new head coach of its G League affiliate.

Jeff Newton, an offensive associate/player development coach for the Timberwolves the past two year, was named the head coach of the Iowa Wolves on Tuesday.

Additionally, Scott Thom was added as an athletic performance coach.

"I am thrilled to continue my professional career with the Timberwolves organization as I step into this new role with the Iowa Wolves," Newton said. "I have been dedicated to the vision and future goals for the Timberwolves and will carry those same principles in my role as head coach of the Iowa Wolves."

Newton coached the 2021 Timberwolves Summer League team in Las Vegas, leading the group to a 4-1 record. Before joining Minnesota, he was an assistant video coordinator for the Sacramento Kings for three seasons, and also has spent three years with the Houston Rockets as a personnel scout, assistant video coordinator and basketball operations intern.

Thom has served as the College of Marin’s men’s basketball head coach and director of strength and conditioning since 2016. He also has previous stints at the University of California, Berkeley and Washington State University.

"Jeff has proven throughout the last couple years that he is dedicated to the Timberwolves’ overall mission, including developing our young players, which makes him a natural choice as the Wolves head coach," Timberwolves Assistant General Manager Gianluca Pascucci said. "We feel that Jeff will continue to succeed and grow in his role in Iowa, just as he has excelled here in Minnesota. We are also excited to welcome Scott into the Timberwolves and Wolves family."

"I am proud to see the progression Jeff has made in his role throughout this summer, especially with the development he made with our Summer League roster," Timberwolves Head Coach Chris Finch added. "Jeff has proven in his daily work with the Timberwolves that he is prepared and deserves this next step in his career. His coaching philosophies align with what we are building here in Minnesota and his groundwork will serve as a great foundation for our two-way players and those in Iowa making the transition to Minnesota throughout the season. I believe in his ability to encourage our players to improve based on his passion for the game and his dedication every step of the way. We are excited about him leading our program down in Iowa and to continue supporting his professional advancement and success."