NBA Star Gives Minnesota a New 3-Word Slogan

It's not that "Find Your True North" isn't a fine tourism slogan. It's just that the NBA's Anthony Edwards has Minnesotans thinking about a three-word alternative: "Bring ya ass." The Minnesota Timberwolves star inadvertently created a viral sensation when talking with NBA TV analyst Charles Barkley after a playoff series win Sunday night:

• Barkley: "I have not been to Minnesota in probably 20 years."
• Edwards: "Bring ya ass." (Watch the moment here, via TNT.)

The phrase then took off on social media, notes the Minneapolis Star Tribune. The agency Explore Minnesota Tourism quickly made use of it (with asterisks) in a tweet, and the URL BringYaAss.com now redirects to Explore Minnesota's website, reports USA Today and Axios. Even Gov. Tim Walz jokingly took notice.

This isn't the first time Edwards has sung the praises of his adopted state. In an interview with Vanity Fair earlier this year, he said New York and Los Angeles were "cool," but "they ain't better than Minnesota." Meanwhile, Edwards and the Timberwolves will remain in the spotlight a little longer: They play Dallas in the Western Conference finals starting Wednesday night, per NBA.com. (More Minnesota stories.)