23 Facts About Glen Taylor

Glen Albert Taylor was born on April 20,1941 and is an American billionaire business magnate and politician from Minnesota.

Glen Taylor was the owner of the Minnesota Timberwolves of the National Basketball Association and the Minnesota Lynx of the Women's National Basketball Association from 1994 to 2025.

Glen Taylor is part owner of Minnesota United FC of Major League Soccer.

Glen Taylor served in the Minnesota Senate as a Republican from 1981 to 1990.

Glen Taylor planned to run for governor of Minnesota in 1990, but ultimately chose not to due to problems in his marriage.

In November 2024, Glen Taylor sent Timberwolves season ticket holders a letter announcing his extended absence from sporting events due to hip-replacement surgery.

Glen Taylor was born in Springfield, Minnesota, and grew up on a farm in Comfrey, Minnesota.

Glen Taylor graduated from Comfrey High School in 1959, and after the owner of the farm he worked on insisted he use his potential in college, he received a Bachelor of Science in mathematics, physics and social studies from Mankato State University in 1962.

In 1975, company owner Bill Carlson wanted to retire, and Glen Taylor offered to pay $2 million over 12 years for the company.

Glen Taylor was a Republican Minnesota state senator from 1981 to 1990, serving as assistant minority leader from 1983 to 1985 and minority leader from 1985 to 1988.

Glen Taylor considered himself a member of the party's moderate wing.

Glen Taylor resigned in 1990, citing his need to focus more on his business interests.

Glen Taylor strongly considered running for governor of Minnesota in 1990, but decided against it due to his divorce.

Glen Taylor was appointed as a member of the Minnesota Commission on Reform and Efficiency by fellow Republican and Governor of Minnesota Arne Carlson a year after Taylor left office.

Still an active member of the Republican Party, from 2016 to 2020 Glen Taylor donated $119,100 to Republican candidates and causes.

Glen Taylor purchased majority ownership of the Minnesota Timberwolves of the National Basketball Association in 1994 for a reported $94 million and purchased the Minnesota Lynx of the Women's National Basketball Association in 1999.

In 2000, Glen Taylor received a nine-month suspension after signing Joe Smith to a secret contract in violation of the league's salary cap rules.

In 2017, Glen Taylor purchased the Iowa Energy of the NBA Development League and renamed the team the Iowa Wolves as the developmental affiliate of the Timberwolves.

Glen Taylor is a past chairman of the NBA board of governors, serving two terms from 2008 to 2012 and from 2014 to 2017.

In 2021, Glen Taylor entered into an agreement allowing Marc Lore, founder of the food-delivery company Wonder Group and Jet.

Glen Taylor is a part owner of the Minnesota United FC soccer team.

In 2014, Glen Taylor bought the Star Tribune for about $100 million.

Glen Taylor told MinnPost that the Star Tribune would be decidedly less liberal under his watch, but said the paper had already been shifting more to the center in recent years.