The Minnesota Timberwolves have hired former Memphis basketball star Joey Dorsey to its coaching staff, the organization formally announced Thursday.

Dorsey will serve as a player development assistant under head coach Chris Finch. Dorsey spent a year of his playing career with the Houston Rockets (July 2014-July 2015). Finch was an assistant coach with the Rockets from 2011-16. Dorsey also recently participated in the NBA Coaching Developmental Program led by former NBA coach Butch Carter.

Dorsey played for coach John Calipari from 2004-08, helping lead the Tigers to a pair of Elite Eight appearances (2006 and 2007) and was an integral part of the national championship runner-up team in 2008.

Last month, Calipari publicly thanked the Timberwolves for giving Dorsey an opportunity to be part of an NBA coaching staff.

"I am so proud of his transition from the floor to begin his coaching career," Calipari, now the coach at Arkansas, posted on X (formerly known as Twitter). "As a player for me, he was a loyal soldier who did whatever was needed to help is win. You can count on him to do the same for the Timberwolves."

Prior to joining the Timberwolves' staff, Dorsey's only formal coaching experience came at Memphis. Tigers coach Penny Hardaway brought Dorsey on as a volunteer assistant midway through the 2022-23 season. During the abbreviated stint at Memphis, Dorsey worked predominantly with the team's big men.

"Joey speaks the language," Hardaway said in January 2023. "He understands how those guys feel, because he was in their shoes. And he can talk to them off the court about the mistakes that he made and the positive things that he took from playing here. Ever since he stepped into the practice facility, he's been nothing but positive.

"It's been special to have him here. I'm just thankful that he asked to come, because he was definitely needed."

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Dorsey is still second in Memphis history in career rebounds and blocks, and third in field goal percentage. He finished his Tigers career with 26 double-doubles.

Reach sports writer Jason Munz at jason.munz@commercialappeal.com or follow him @munzly on X, the social media app formerly known as Twitter.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Timberwolves hire Memphis basketball star Joey Dorsey for coaching staff