I tried my best to hype up Jaden McDaniels after he had a microphone put in his face multiple times during a reading of The Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Crunch at Hmong International Academy in North Minneapolis.
“Hey man, you couldn’t even tell you sounded off from the back where I was,” I said in what was a bald-faced lie.
“Oh, no, I was that bad,” McDaniels said in a raspy squeak with a smile. “I can hear myself.”
McDaniels had lost his voice the night before the event, marking the start of the giving-back portion of his winter essentials drive. He took the initiative over last season, after Karl-Anthony Towns had run the program for years and collected used winter clothing to benefit families in need.
The event at the school was planned to star Jaden McDaniels, who would surprise each kindergarten through fifth-grade student with a new Minnesota Timberwolves hat, a swag bag, an autographed picture of Crunch, a book from the education station, and a reading of Crunch’s favorite book.
These are my favorite events to cover: seeing players in a more relaxed environment, doing work they are passionate about. Getting the opportunity to attend was a no-brainer. However, McDaniels had woken up the night before with no voice.
The rain outside turned to snow by the end of the event, and the thermostat was reading a balmy 16 degrees. The Wolves had just finished a heated practice on the day after the 116-110 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, and they would be facing the Oklahoma City Thunder the next day. McDaniels had every reason and excuse to reschedule.
However, he did not. He showed up exactly on time, a rarity for athletes at these events. He explained to the master of ceremonies (MC) that he didn’t have a voice but would do his best before the MC went into the gymnasium full of students. McDaniels waited for his cue.
I have to point out that when children ages 5 through 10 see a 6’11” human being, there is usually less of a cheer and more of an excited murmur. However, Crunch knows how to blow the roof off of an event and quickly drew the attention to himself.
McDaniels navigated the event flawlessly, even “speaking” up to help a couple of students win prizes at the end of the reading. Next came the education station portion, in which McDaniels headed outside into the sleet and helped over 100 students pick out books from the station and hand out swag bags and winter hats.
McDaniels also took time to sign everything: jerseys, hats, t-shirts, and notebooks. He signed every article of clothing visible to one “super” fan, who braved the weather without a coat to show off his McDaniels apparel.
Well over an hour after the event started, the last group of students entered the education station to find their books. This group brought a bevy of posters and cards for McDaniels to bring home from all of the classes in attendance. McDaniels thumbed through them with a smile as that last group was leaving.
McDaniels spoke about the importance of giving back to Minnesota after the event and about how he feels the city’s love for him. The only caveat was that I promised not to record his now completely non-existent voice.
“Oh, for sure, I’m comfortable here,” he said. “I like doing this, even some of the kids here I’ve seen them before, and it’s important.”
McDaniels arguably isn’t just comfortable here. He treats Minnesota like it’s his home. He’s always out and about giving back. This is the second year of his winter essentials drive, and he has done numerous events with Urban Ventures Minneapolis.
However, McDaniels usually does this without the cameras and the fanfare, preferring to help in the community in the darkness and have the media find out about it later.
That was the case all last year. McDaniels surprised teenagers with haircuts in the spring.
Then, he hosted 20 students at a free basketball camp, provided lunch, and distributed school supplies over the summer.
Giving back has become a regular practice for Jaden McDaniels. His event last Thursday was just another example of the power athletes have to use their platforms for positive change. The difference this time was that a couple of media members were allowed in to document the impacts McDaniels can make, even without his voice, in the cold, before a statement win against OKC.