Coming of Age: A Look at the Transformation of the Minnesota Timberwolves
Sports Editor Will Lyons pens a piece on the up and coming Minnesota Timberwolves. Led by stars Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards, the Timberwolves look to put the rest of the league on notice.
In the NBA one calendar year can be the difference between having a high draft pick, or contending for a championship. The Minnesota Timberwolves have long been looked at as a cursed franchise only having success with former NBA MVP Kevin Garnett on the roster. Fast forward to the 2020–21 season the T’Wolves have franchise player Karl Anthony Towns and the top pick in the 2020 Draft leading the way.
2020–21 Season
The Timberwolves season can only be described in one word, abysmal. The team was so bad, the front office fired Head Coach Ryan Saunders during the season. This speaks volumes as continuity is at a premium for sports teams leading to firings typically taking place in the off-season. Then Toronto Raptors assistant head coach Chris Finch was hired to take over as head coach in Minnesota. Finch was viewed around the league as a brilliant offensive mind that had as good a chance as anyone to turn around the struggling franchise. The team finished the Covid shortened season with a 23–49 record with Coach Finch accounting for 16 of the 23 wins.
2021–22 Season
The expectation around the league was that Ant Edwards would take a leap in his sophomore season but there was still little optimism around the T’Wolves. However, a full season with Coach Finch leading the charge has been exactly what the franchise needed. All-Star Big man Karl-Anthony Towns and budding star Anthony Edwards paired to give Minnesota a potent offensive duo that can be built on for years.
Ant-Man provides a highly skilled shot creator blessed with an imposing frame with otherworldly athleticism. Pair that with Towns, one of the most skilled big men in the game and you are preparing to give other teams trouble. Add in the gifted play-maker D’Angelo Russell, Swiss Army knife Jaden McDaniels and other key contributors like Naz Reid, Malik Beasley, Taurean Prince and Jarred Vanderbilt you can see something being built in the Twin Cities.
KAT returned to All Star form and Ant Edwards played himself onto the national radar with explosive scoring performances and gravity defying dunks. Fast forward to the end of the regular season and Minnesota doubled their win total from last season earning 46 wins placing them 7th in the loaded Western Conference. Front office and ownership changes finally have the T’Wolves looking poised for the future. Gone are the days of missing on draft picks and floundering through the regular season. We are seeing future superstar Anthony Edwards assert himself as a force of nature while KAT turns his frustrations and emotions into winning play. Needless to say the Wolves are ready to prey on their opposition.
Future Outlook
As long as KAT and Ant-Man are on the roster there is reason for optimism in Minnesota. Two All-Star caliber players that can put themselves in the conversation as the best center and shooting guard in the league. Keeping quality role players and vets like Pat Beverly (leadership), Jarred Vanderbilt (defensive versatility and rebounding) and Malik Beasley (shooting) help maximize the team’s potential.
The X-factor is one time all-star D’Angelo Russell, if he can find some level of consistency it really raises the ceiling to a potential second round team. Having their head coach in place for the foreseeable future with two high caliber talents put the pressure on the front office to continue making home run off-season additions to the roster to try to go from playoff team to contender.
