Ranking top 15 Minnesota Timberwolves rookies of all time

7. Wally Szczerbiak (1999 – 2000)

To discuss the next Minnesota Timberwolves rookie who made our list, we have to turn back the calendar to the beginning of the new millennium. 6-foot-7 244-pound small forward Wally Szczerbiak. Wally Szczerbiak was selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves with the sixth overall pick during the 1999 NBA Draft from the University of Miami.

While he fit both a starter and rotational role for the Timberwolves, he was very efficient with his shooting.  And he was able to contribute to the Timberwolves’ run with consecutive appearances, competing in five consecutive postseason competitions in his first five seasons.

Stats: 73 games | 29.7 MPG | 11.6 PPG | 3.7 RPG | 2.8 APG | 0.3 BPG | 51.1 FG percent

Wally Szczerbiak was simply the right player at the right time for the Timberwolves roster. He was not necessarily the biggest or most physical player on the Timberwolves roster at the time, but he was able to space the floor, spark some offense, and hit key three-pointers. That was exactly what the team needed with Kevin Garnett playing, and it harmonized with the intensity and physicality of Garnett’s smoldering presence.

Despite their success, he was never one of Garnett’s favorite teammates. But he was a solid scorer who was best suited for a catch-and-shoot role. He played 6+ seasons for the Timberwolves before a series of trades cycled him through three other NBA teams. Oh, and the pronunciation is: \ZUR-bee-ak\