Timberwolves top rookies
So let’s talk about the players who just missed the top 10. The Minnesota Timberwolves, while a fairly young NBA team, have enjoyed the benefits of plenty of excellent NBA play. And this list is likely to change over time.
Why?
With each new season, the Timberwolves add a new rookie class that has its own set of candidates for consideration. While some players may have had solid NBA careers, some players needed more time and opportunity than they were given in their rookie season to make much of an impression.
Well, enough chat. Let’s get to this list, shall we?
Player 15: Corey Brewer (2007-08)
Corey Brewer, also known as the Drunken Dribbler, was a versatile 6-foot-9 shooting guard or small forward for the Minnesota Timberwolves. He appeared in 79 games for the Wolves, starting in 35 of those contests. Despite getting 22.8 minutes per game, he was only able to produce modest statistics at 5.8 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.0 steals per game.
That was a bit underwhelming for a player selected with the seventh overall pick of the 2007 NBA Draft. Still, he did get plenty of work in his rookie season.
Player 14: Kris Dunn (2016-17)
Kris Dunn was selected as the fifth player named in the 2016 NBA Draft. He was a promising 6-foot-3 205-pound point guard out of Providence, and his size and ability to run the floor were not disputed. Unfortunately, that did not seem to translate to the NBA, particularly to the scheme that the Minnesota Timberwolves were playing.
He appeared in 78 games but started just seven contests. Even with managing just 17.1 minutes, many expected more than the 3.8 points, 2.4 assists, and 2.1 rebounds per game average. He was traded after just one season with the Timberwolves, and he managed to put up respectable numbers for the Chicago Bulls the following year.
Player 13: Felton Spencer (1990-91)
Felton Spencer is a 7-foot-0 center who joined the Minnesota Timberwolves in 1990 out of Louisville and played three seasons for the Timberwolves. In his career, he came in with the fourth-highest Win Shares for a rookie in Timberwolves history, but he only attempted 4.7 shots per game on his way to 7.1 points and 7.9 rebounds per game. Over the course of his career, he would ultimately play three seasons for the Timberwolves, playing in 213 games and starting in 148 of them.
He would help the Timberwolves to a 29-53 record in 1990-91, a 15-67 record in 1991-92, and a 16-63 record in 1992-93. While he was not known for his offense, Spencer was the Minnesota Timberwolves early version of a rim protector. In his rookie season, he hauled in 7.9 rebounds per game and tallied 1.5 blocks per game. He would continue on in his NBA career as a rotational player, but he would seldom replicate the type of NBA season that he enjoyed with the Timberwolves as an NBA rookie.