(UPDATING WITH QUOTES FROM TEAM, LEAGUE) 

*Timberwolves G-F Malik Sealy killed in truck crash*
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ST. LOUIS PARK, Minnesota (Ticker) -- Minnesota Timberwolves
guard-forward Malik Sealy was killed early this morning in a
head-on truck collision in a Minneapolis suburb, authorities
said. 

A person answering the telephone at the Hennepin County Medical
Examiner's Office confirmed to SportsTicker that Sealy, 30, had
died and the team released a statement tonight. 

"This is a sudden and devastating loss to our team.  We're in
shock," Timberwolves vice president Kevin McHale said. 

"Words can't express the loss that I feel today," Timberwolves
coach Flip Saunders added.  "Malik was a wonderful person who
touched everybody in a special way.  We are a tight-knit family
and we are suffering right now -- this is one of the worst
possible things that can happen to an organization.  This will
affect us for a long, long time." 

A moment of silence was observed for Sealy prior to today's game
between the Portland Trail Blazers and Los Angeles Lakers in Los
Angeles. 

"Malik Sealy was a stellar contributor to the NBA, his team and
his community," Commissioner David Stern said in a statement.
"This is a tragic day for the NBA family and we extend our
sympathy and prayers to his family." 

Sealy is survived by his wife, Lisa, and his son, Malik
Remington. 

According to St. Louis Park police, the lone occupant of one
vehicle was dead upon their arrival to a head-on crash at 5 a.m.
EDT on Highway 100, south of Highway 7. 

The occupant of the other vehicle, a 43-year-old man, was taken
to HCMC Hospital, where he was in serious condition with head
and chest injuries, ESPN.com reported. 

Sealy is the second NBA player killed in an auto accident this
year.  On January 12, Charlotte Hornets guard Bobby Phills died
in a crash shortly after leaving a practice.  Like Phills, who
was the same age and played the same position, Sealy was very
well-liked and active within the community. 

The 6-8, 200-pound Sealy had scheduled a celebrity charity golf
tournament that bore his name on the island of St. Lucia in late
June. 

"Above and beyond basketball, everyone admired Malik for the
special person that he was," McHale said.  "My heart goes out to
Lisa and Malik's entire family." 

ESPN.com is reporting that Sealy was returning home from a party
for the 24th birthday of teammate Kevin Garnett.  The report
said the unidentified man was traveling northbound in the
southbound lane of a construction area that narrowed the highway
to a single lane.  His Dodge pickup truck apparently collided
head-on with Sealy's Range Rover. 

Sealy was fourth on the team with 11.3 points per game last
season.  The Wolves were 7-13 on December 17 and inserted Sealy
as the starting shooting guard five days later.  Minnesota went
on to a 50-32 mark, the best in franchise history. 

"Malik was one of the most popular players in our locker room
and one of the biggest reasons behind our turnaround and success
this past season on the court," McHale said. 

The 14th overall selection of the 1992 draft by the Indiana
Pacers, Sealy also played for the Los Angeles Clippers and
Detroit Pistons. 

Outside of the NBA, the Bronx, New York native and St. John's
alumnus owns a business that produces ties and clothing.  In a
manner of self-deprecating humor, he used a design of playbooks,
as he once gained infamy for leaving his Pacers playbook at an
airport during the playoffs. 

Sealy was the second-leading scorer and all-time steals leader
at St. John's. A high school legend, he led Tolentine of the
Bronx to a New York state championship and a No. 1 national
ranking in his senior season. 

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