1 Current and 1 former player comparison for Timberwolves rookies

Now a full month removed from the 2024 NBA Draft, teams like the Minnesota Timberwolves can better project how their rookies will fit in the big leagues. Furthermore, a five-game Summer League slate gave coaches the first glimpse of their youngsters in uniform. Several rookies performed admirably, while others struggled.

As for the Timberwolves rookies — Rob Dillingham, Terrence Shannon Jr., and Jesse Edwards — all three played quite well. Dillingham, the Wolves' eighth overall pick, averaged 13.6 points and 7.6 assists per game. The Kentucky product struggled to catch fire from the floor, but he excelled as the primary playmaker, coming in at fifth amongst Summer League participants in assists per game.

The 27th overall pick, Shannon Jr., looked the part right away. The 23-year-old scored 25 points in Minnesota's first game and connected on 9-of-14 field goal attempts. Although the former Illinois' star Summer League season was cut short, he averaged 13.3 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game over three and a fourth games.

Edwards, a two-way signee, held his own in limited action. The former West Virginia Mountaineer started one game and averaged 17.6 minutes per contest. The undrafted big man held averages of 5.6 points, 4.4 boards, and 1.0 blocks in five appearances.

While we've only been granted a sneak peek at the Wolves' rookies, college tape and the brief exhibition season have allowed us to compare the youngsters to NBA vets — both past and present.

Jesse Edwards

At 6-foot-11 and 240 pounds, Edwards is a throwback, pick-and-roll big man. The West Virginia product averaged 15.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game a season ago. The 24-year-old center relied on offensive rebounds, dump-downs, and post-ups to get his points.

Despite playing five seasons and 118 games, Edwards only attempted five three-pointers as a collegian. And like the big men of the old school, the Dutch big man struggled from the free throw line — shooting 52.3 percent at West Virginia.

NBA Comparison: Omer Yurtseven

Both Edwards' comparisons are throwback bigs. Although former Utah Jazz big man Omer Yurtseven attempts a decent amount of triples each season, he exclusively plays the center spot and about 80 percent of his field goal attempts come within 10 feet of the basket. Like Yurtseven, Edwards will begin his NBA career as an undrafted free agent after multiple collegeiate seasons.

Former Comparison: Rasho Nesterovic

If Edwards can live up to Rasho Nesterovic's career, that'd ultimately be considered a success. The former Timberwolf appeared in 811 games and started 595 of them. Although his stats don't leap off the page, the Slovenian big was a quality center for a decade.

Terrence Shannon Jr.

Minnesota's 27th pick is relatively an easy player to compare. He's athletic, possesses ideal size, and works as a high-volume scorer. Several of these archetypes have existed over the years. Think Vince Carter, Jason Richardson, Corey Maggette, and J.R. Smith. While Shannon Jr. likely won't have the career of any of these guys, especially the first three, he's a quintessential two-guard.

Shannon Jr. played five seasons of collegiate basketball, improving each go around. While at Texas Tech, Shannon Jr. didn't profile as a go-to scorer. However, that changed as soon as he transferred to Illinois. Across two seasons suiting up for the Fighting Illini, he averaged 20.2 points and 2.0 three-pointers per contest.

NBA Comparison: Bennedict Mathurin

After perusing the internet, Kelly Oubre Jr. came up quite frequently when comparing the two lefties. It's a decent comparison but Oubre Jr. operates more as a wing and plays at a slower pace. Instead, the young Timberwolf is being compared to Indiana's Bennedict Mathurin. Both players measured almost identically at the combine — additionally, the shooting guards are powerful drivers who'd rather throw down monstrous jams than attempt threes.

Former Comparison: DeShawn Stevenson

A few star players were mentioned earlier, but for Shannon Jr. to live up to those at pick 27 would be unexpected. A safer comparison is longtime shooting guard DeShawn Stevenson. Stevenson may never have lit up the scoreboards (career 7.2 points per game), but he played in a different era. The 3-and-D wing was a tremendous athlete and sound defender. He didn't shoot many threes to begin his career, but he'd likely launch multiple three-pointers per game in today's NBA.

Rob Dillingham

Not too many Rob Dillinghams come around. That's why the Wolves jumped at the opportunity to snag the San Antonio Spurs' top-10 selection to draft the high-upside, talented guard. The jitterbug guard was one of the best per-minute players in all of college basketball a season ago.

Playing for a stacked Kentucky squad, the 19-year-old only started one game. He averaged 23.3 minutes per game, but scored 15.2 points and cashed in on 47.5 percent of his field goals and 44.4 percent of his three-pointers. Although undersized (6-foot-1, 164 pounds), he possesses a supreme skill level.

NBA Comparison: Darius Garland

Today's NBA doesn't offer many valid comparisons for smaller guards. Most teams employ jumbo-sized playmakers to handle the rock. While Dillingham isn't the truest of point guards, Cleveland Cavalier floor general Darius Garland profiles as a valid comparison. Both guards are extremely shifty and can score from anywhere on the floor. Furthermore, Dillingham will likely struggle to score efficiently and defend opposing guards like Garland did as a rookie.

Former Comparison: Kemba Walker

Sticking with inefficiency and underwhelming defense, former All-Star Kemba Walker struggled with both aspects of the game as a younger. However, the former ninth-pick improved mightily to become a go-to scorer who wasn't held back by his size. Walker's combination of ball-handling, shot-making, and confidence led to a successful career. Envisioning Dillingham having a Walker-esque career isn't too far-fetched.