The Minnesota Timberwolves don’t exactly have an illustrious draft history. The top of the list is strong, but who will round out the top 15 draft picks?
Between only existing as a franchise for 29 seasons and … not exactly being successful over the course of their nearly three decades of existence (to the tune of a .397 winning percentage), it’s to be expected that the Minnesota Timberwolves’ draft history isn’t littered with all-stars and hall of fame players.
That said, the list is a bit top-heavy with some past and current stars and plenty of mainstays during the many consistently decent Timberwolves squads of the late 1990s and early-to-mid 2000s.
After all, the Wolves have never been a marquee destination in free agency, and there are only a handful of instances of the organization acquiring talent via trade. That means that this team has largely been attempting to build through the draft, and with so many losing seasons, they’ve often selected in the lottery.
Let’s jump right into the list.
- Three seasons with Timberwolves (2007-09)
- Averaged 8.9 points and 4.5 rebounds per game
The 15th-best draft pick in Timberwolves history is Craig Smith, an undersized power forward drafted in the second round, right at the tail end of the Kevin Garnett era in Minnesota.
“The Rhino” was a rookie in Garnett’s last season in his first go-around with the Timberwolves as the team won just 32 games and saw head coach Dwane Casey fired and replaced by Randy Wittman. Smith, however, played in all 82 games, averaging 7.4 points and 5.1 rebounds in 18.7 minutes per game.
As the Wolves descended into the doldrums of the NBA, Smith was a consistent presence over the next two seasons, essentially functioning as the team’s second-best player next to Al Jefferson. He was primarily a bench player, but was always a key cog in the rotation, scoring efficiently and bringing energy to the second unit.
Smith provided outstanding value for a second-round pick. He was eventually traded to the Los Angels Clippers in a cost-saving move by new Timberwolves boss David Kahn prior to the 2009-10 NBA season. After two years in L.A. Smith played one season in Portland before heading overseas.