Timberwolves insider notices interesting trend with team's prospects

Taking younger players has been en vogue in the NBA draft for some years now. In June’s 2025 draft, the first eight selections were players who were one-and-done college guys. Just three seniors were selected in the first round. 

The Minnesota Timberwolves seem to go in a different direction more frequently than most other teams. Some of their recent signings and draft picks continue to show that.

Dane Moore notices the Wolves have been adding older prospects

On his latest episode of The Dane Moore NBA Podcast, Moore brought up an interesting trend on his latest episode. He mentioned how the Timberwolves are continuing to bet on older prospects. 

On Friday, Minnesota signed Enrique Freeman to a two-way contract. The 50th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, Freeman turned 25 on July 29. The 6-foot-7 forward spent five years playing collegiately for Akron before turning pro.

The Timberwolves also selected Terrence Shannon Jr. 27th in that same draft. This was after Shannon Jr. had five seasons of college ball under his belt as well.

Moore points out that only two players taken in the 2024 draft are older than those two. They are Quinten Post of the Warriors and Cam Spencer of the Grizzlies. Shannon Jr. turned 25 one day after Freeman did.

Also on Friday, guard Tristen Newton accepted his two-way qualifying offer, and the Wolves waived center Jesse Edwards to make room for him. Newton was yet another five-year college player from the 2024 draft. He was picked up off waivers by Minnesota in January and turned 24 in April.

While a little younger than the players mentioned, Jaylen Clark was taken in the second round by the Timberwolves in 2023 after three years at UCLA.

This trend isn't always the case

Of course, this doesn’t mean that the Timberwolves ignore younger prospects. Anthony Edwards is entering his sixth season, and he will only turn 24 on August 5. The team made a draft day deal last year to acquire Rob Dillingham after he played just one year at Kentucky. He won’t turn 21 until January 4.

With the 17th overall pick in the 2025 draft, Minnesota selected center Joan Beringer out of France. He turns 19 on November 6. Rocco Zikarsky was taken in the second round, given a two-way deal, and just turned 19 last month.

Still, as we saw in last year’s playoffs, Chris Finch turned to Shannon Jr. before the guy selected before him in the younger Dillingham.