Minnesota Timberwolves: Top 30 greatest players of all-time
By Ben Beecken
Center. Minnesota Timberwolves. Nikola Pekovic. 12. player. 86.
- Six seasons with Timberwolves (2010-16)
- Averaged 12.6 points and 6.7 rebounds per game
The Timberwolves drafted Nikola Pekovic with the No. 31 pick in the 2008 NBA Draft — the first pick of the second round. Pekovic didn’t come over until 2010, but was the reigning MVP of Euroleague when he chose to head overseas to the U.S.
The hulking Montenegrin struggled to stay on the court as a rookie in the NBA, playing just 13.6 minutes per game over 65 contests as a rookie as he adjusted to the … less physical play of the American game.
But in the lockout-shortened 2011-12 campaign, Pekovic’s second stateside, he put up 13.9 points and 7.4 rebounds in 26.9 minutes per game over 47 contests. The next year, Pek’s numbers increased to 16.3 points and 8.8 rebounds per game, although he only played in 62 of 82 contests as injuries started to mount.
His best statistical season came in 2013-14 under head coach Rick Adelman. Pekovic tallied 17.5 points and 8.7 rebounds per game despite only appearing in 54 games. The foot and ankle injuries cropped up once again, and the big man was severely limited.
The 2013-14 season was the 40-42 year in which the Wolves barely missed the playoffs, despite a positive point differential and a monster year from Kevin Love, who put up 26.1 points and 12.5 rebounds per game next to Pek’s 17.5 and 8.7. It was a season that almost-was, similar to Pekovic’s career.
Over his last two years in the NBA, Pekovic appeared in just 43 out of 164 possible games. It was a disappointing end to a promising career for a once-dominant offensive player, but Pekovic’s peak, regardless of its brevity, was enough to land him at No. 12 on our list.