3 things to know about Timberwolves SL G Jacob Gilyard

The Minnesota Timberwolves ended the  2022 NBA Summer League competition with a rather unremarkable 2-3 record. It’s summer league, so it’s all okay. Besides, the Minnesota Timberwolves have pivoted their focus from building a compatible and successful young roster to building an NBA Championship-winning roster.  Get used to disappointing Summer League records going forward, fans.

But that is not to say that it’s an annual exercise of futility. Actually, the opposite is true. The NBA Summer League can become a key tool for the Timberwolves as the team seeks specific affordable niche players to develop for the next season or two.

One such player who is seeking a niche role for the Timberwolves defensive specialist G Jacob Gilyard. Gilyard is a 5-foot-9 160-pound guard who was noted for his ability to pick the pockets of basketball opponents. But he is more than a cutpurse, as he demonstrated an ability to score as well.

So how did he play in five games for the Timberwolves?

• Game         Mins   Pts   3Pts  Rebs  Asts  Stls  +/-
  Game 1      DNP
  Game 2      13         2      0-4      2        1          0    -5
  Game 3      20         2      0-1      3        3          0    +3
  Game 4      DNP
  Game 5      16         1      0-1      2        3          0    +4
  Totals         49         5      0-5      7        7          0

Hmm . . . no steals in three games, and almost no scoring. So what should you know about Jacob Gilyard?

III –  He is a pesky defender

Standing just 5-foot-9 and hoping for an NBA career places a great deal of pressure on Jake Gilyard to be better than average on defense. And thankfully, he is. His ability to run the floor is solid, as he is dangerous enough with the basketball to warrant defending but savvy enough to distribute the ball to the open shooter when he attracts attention.

But his true college forte is stealing, averaging nearly three steals per game in his senior season, and better than three steals per game in his college career.

II – Has been compared to New Orleans Pelicans Jose Alvarado

Young unfamiliar players are often compared to NBA players in an attempt to categorize what type of production they may bring to the NBA.

"“A longtime favorite of my projections because of his off-the-charts steal rate, Gilyard became the NCAA’s all-time steals leader in December. It helped that he returned for a fifth year, meaning Gilyard will turn 24 in July. He’s also 5-foot-9, so it’s easy to see why NBA teams haven’t been excited about Gilyard as a prospect. Still, there might be a role for him as a Jose Alvarado-style energizer off the bench.” per ESPN’s Kevin Pelton (subscription required)"

But Pelton is not the only analyst who sees the similarities

That’s a solid consensus.

I – He played for both the Golden State Warriors and the Minnesota Timberwolves SL teams

Jacob Gilyard has plenty of interest despite not being drafted. He played for both the Golden State Warriors and the Minnesota Timberwolves in NBA Summer League play.

While he did not show his best for the Timberwolves, I liked the way he was able to set up shooters with three assists in two games despite limited playing time. It was that, and the fact that he ended in the plus territory in two games that has me hesitant to eliminate him from a potential Two-Way or Exhibit 10 contract.