Today’s Minnesota Timberwolves Roundup includes notes on the draft, Josh Okogie, and offensive coordinator Pablo Prigioni.
Despite not playing in nearly seven months, it’s been a strangely busy offseason for the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Players like Josh Okogie have felt drawn to connect further with the Twin Cities community, and the Wolves continue to look for ways to get their stars to get more plugged in with the organization.
Plus, as the draft inches closer, there are more notes regarding players the Wolves have interviewed to this point.
Minnesota Timberwolves Roundup: On Pablo Prigioni and D’Angelo Russell
First, Pablo Prigioni. The Wolves assistant coach and offensive coordinator was previously in Brooklyn, where he helped D’Angelo Russell improve from a borderline bust as the No. 2 pick in the 2015 draft into an All-Star who led the Nets to the playoffs.
The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski penned a story (subscription required) about Russell’s relationship with Prigioni, including quotes from the Wolves assistant about how quickly and easily he and D’Lo connected back in Brooklyn.
Prigioni understands how difficult it is to play point guard in the NBA, and that relatability helped their bond grow rapidly. Russell and his brother even visited Prigioni in Madrid in the offseason.
Krawczynski also pulls some quotes from Russell’s appearance on J.J. Redick‘s podcast that we covered a few weeks ago and paints a clear picture of just how badly Russell wants to improve — and just how badly Prigioni wants to help him do just that.
Minnesota Timberwolves Roundup: Josh Okogie’s bond with the Twin Cities
Krawcyznski also wrote about Josh Okogie’s growing bond with the Twin Cities (subscription required).
Okogie has yet to play his third NBA season, but he’s showing a maturity and a willingness to make a difference in the community well beyond his years. Okogie admits that he hadn’t previously plugged himself into Minnesota, showing up for the season and then leaving in the summer. But he’s spent much of the past few months in the Twin Cities.
Amidst the multiple tragedies this offseason, including the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Okogie has found his voice as an activist in the Twin Cities.
The article details that involvement in the community, as well as the role of former NBA player and Minneapolis native John Thomas in the Wolves front office as the vice president of basketball development. It’s a role tailor-made for Thomas and helps him connect the community with the Timberwolves organization.
Minnesota Timberwolves Roundup: Latest NBA Draft notes
We’re now only seven weeks from the NBA Draft (finally), and we’re starting to hear which players the Wolves have and have not visited with.
To this point, LaMelo Ball, a possibility at the No. 1 pick, has not interviewed with any teams except the New York Knicks, who hold the No. 8 selection.
The Wolves have, however talked with Duke’s Tre Jones, a possibility with the Wolves’ pick at No. 17 or in any trade-back, as well as Stanford’s Tyrell Terry, who is more likely to be a late first-round pick.
2020 NBA Draft prospect Tre Jones said that he's interviewed with the Bucks, Suns, Thunder and Timberwolves among others. He was scheduled to interview with the Bulls, but it was postponed due to their coaching change. He believes his range is mid-to-late first round.
— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) September 29, 2020
2020 NBA Draft prospect Tyrell Terry said he has interviewed with the Phoenix Suns, Oklahoma City Thunder, Philadelphia 76ers, Toronto Raptors, New York Knicks, Brooklyn Nets, Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves and Chicago Bulls among others.
— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) September 29, 2020
The obvious connections there are that both are Minnesota natives. Tre is former Wolf Tyus Jones‘ brother and attended Apple Valley High School, while Terry went to DeLaSalle High School in Minneapolis.
We’ll keep an eye on any further draft-related news as we continue to draw closer — as long as the NBA doesn’t move that date again…