The summer months can be a slow time in sports, as MLB is the only one of the four major North American professional men’s sports leagues that is in season. The Minnesota market has one team in each of those leagues.
The Vikings and Timberwolves, as well as the Wild, will begin their next seasons before you know it, with the Vikings coming first. Both the Vikings’ and Wolves’ fan bases are brimming with excitement, as each team has a new player—the Vikings have a quarterback, and the Timberwolves have a point guard—who could bring the team to new heights.
While it’s obviously not easy to make exact player comparisons between guys in different sports, it’s still a fun exercise. Here are five player comparisons between players on the Timberwolves and Vikings.
Anthony Edwards & Justin Jefferson
This might be the most obvious comparison. Both Anthony Edwards and Justin Jefferson would be considered the best and most high-profile players on their respective clubs. They can each make a highlight play on offense a few times per game.
Edwards is a four-time All-Star and a two-time All-NBA selection. Jefferson has been named to four Pro Bowls and twice been named a first-team All-Pro. They are both heading into their seventh professional seasons.
LaMelo Ball & Kyler Murray
Both players are newcomers to their teams. Both are looking to change the narrative, fair or not, that they aren’t winning players. LaMelo Ball never reached the playoffs in his six years with the Charlotte Hornets. Kyler Murray spent seven seasons with the Arizona Cardinals and lost his only playoff outing by a score of 34–11.
Ball will be the Wolves’ floor general, and Murray will be the Vikings’ field general, assuming that Murray beats out J.J. McCarthy for the starting quarterback role. Despite the lack of team success for both players, they didn’t really have the necessary talent surrounding them for much of their time with their previous teams. The skill level is unquestionably high for Ball and Murray, so the fan bases are excited to see both in action.
Jaden McDaniels & Eric Wilson
Both players are known for their defense, with Eric Wilson obviously playing on that side of the field. They can be underappreciated for their work by outsiders who focus more on the stars.
Jaden McDaniels and Wilson had the best seasons of their careers last year. In his sixth season, McDaniels posted a career-high scoring average to go along with career-best shooting splits. In his ninth year, Wilson recorded a career-best 6.5 sacks and forced four fumbles after having just three total over his first eight seasons.
Ayo Dosunmu & Jordan Mason
It’s unclear whether Ayo Dosunmu will be in the Timberwolves’ starting lineup. Jordan Mason might be, although his only starts at running back last year came when Aaron Jones was out. Both of them will still get a good amount of playing time, even if they come off the bench.
Minnesota is the second team for both Dosunmu and Mason. Dosunmu previously played for the Chicago Bulls, while Mason started his career as a member of the San Francisco 49ers. Neither was expected to be as impactful as they have been, as Dosunmu entered the league as a second-round pick and Mason went undrafted.
Rudy Gobert & Brian O'Neill
If Harrison Smith were still on the team, he would likely be the player to compare with Rudy Gobert. Smith remains unsigned, though, and could retire.
Instead, let’s go with Brian O’Neill, the Vikings’ star right tackle. Both he and Gobert are indispensable players who might go unnoticed by stat watchers, since Gobert isn’t an elite scorer and there aren’t many stats available for offensive linemen.
While Gobert is a few years older, neither is showing signs of slowing down as they enter their 30s. O’Neill ranked 12th among all offensive tackles in Pro Football Focus’ grades, and Gobert was named to yet another All-Defensive First Team last year.
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