Top 10 Draft Picks in Timberwolves History
By Ben Beecken
Nov 12, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves forward Shabazz Muhammad (15) dribbles in the third quarter against the Golden State Warriors at Target Center. The Golden State Warriors beat he Minnesota Timberwolves 129-116. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
#8 – Shabazz Muhammad (#14, UCLA) and Gorgui Dieng (#21, Louisville), 2013 draft
The Timberwolves entered the 2013 NBA Draft with a new/old boss in the front office in Flip Saunders. He took the job barely a month before the June draft and ultimately held the #9 selection with the pressure of surrounding emerging star Kevin Love with enough talent to threaten a playoff spot.
Saunders selected University of Michigan point guard Trey Burke, shocking Wolves fans as Rubio was just 23 years old at the time. Shortly after the selection, however, Burke was swapped to the Utah Jazz for picks 14 and 21, which turned into Muhammad and Dieng, respectively.
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Neither player did much under head coach Rick Adelman, although Dieng showed some flashes late in the year. When Saunders headed to the bench in 2014-15, however, both saw the floor more often and until a season-ending injury, Muhammad was a revelation.
Each are now solid rotation players in the NBA in their third season and are playing important roles in the team’s surprising play over the first five weeks of the campaign. Neither will be a star, but this trade could look even better in retrospect if either becomes a starting-caliber contributor.
Next: #7 - Nikola Pekovic