Jaylen Clark
Experience: Rookie
Position: Wing
Although a rookie by technicalities, former UCLA guard Jaylen Clark will suit up for the first time in over a year. The 22-year-old suffered a season-ending right Achilles rupture in his junior season playing for the Bruins.
The Timberwolves used the 53rd pick in last year's draft on Clark, who spent his inaugural professional campaign rehabbing his injury. Although there hasn't been much noise surrounding Clark's comeback, he's been hitting the hardwood since March and appears to be a full go before Friday's game.
Clark's game is ultimately predicated on his superb defense. He's a defensive dynamo who averaged an impressive 2.6 steals per game as a junior in college. Clark was named the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year and the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year.
Besides his defense, the young forward is a good athlete who excels when attacking the rim. Clark isn't the most comfortable shooter—as evidenced by his 30.2 percent three-point clip as a collegian—but he made up for his lack of outside touch with a 67.4 percentage at the rim.