Minnesota Timberwolves: Best players of the 2010-19 decade

5. Gorgui Dieng

Choosing the fifth name to put on this list was by far the most difficult.

Perhaps Jimmy Butler deserves this slot, due to his unique status as an All-Star who brought the team to their only playoff appearance of the decade.

However, due to the briefness of his tenure in Minnesota and the wreckage left in the wake of his trade demand, this spot belongs to a drama-free rotation player who has spent his entire career with the squad.

This may come as a surprise to many, but, at 29 years old, Gorgui Dieng already holds several spots in the Timberwolves record books.

In his seventh season in the Twin Cities out of Louisville, Dieng sits at fourth among Wolves players all-time in games played (480), while currently third all-time in blocks (474) and fifth in rebounds (2,971). He’s also scored efficiently, with a career shooting percentage greater than 50 percent.

The big man from Senegal was at his best from 2014-16, when he was receiving starter minutes for Minnesota and averaging roughly 10 points, 8 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game.

He’s even come on strong as of late, playing very well during his starts throughout Karl-Anthony Towns’ recent absence due to injury.

His stats will never jump off of the screen on a per-game basis, but his consistent and efficient play regardless of his role on the roster has been valuable for the Wolves from 2013 through the present day.

While someone like Butler may have put up more per-game numbers throughout their brief time in Minnesota, Dieng’s longevity and status as the longest-tenured (and least dramatic) Timberwolves player of the decade stand out and earn him this spot.

Here’s to the 2020s…