The Minnesota Timberwolves were founded in 1989 as an NBA expansion team.1)
The name “Timberwolves” was chosen from over 6,000 entries in a name-the-team contest.2)
Minnesota was chosen because wolves are native to the state, and the name reflects the region’s wildlife.3)
The Wolves played their first-ever NBA game on November 3, 1989, against the Seattle SuperSonics.4)
Their original home arena was the Metrodome, shared with the Minnesota Twins and Vikings.5)
In 1990, they moved into the Target Center, which remains their home arena today.6)
The Wolves landed the first overall pick in the 1995 NBA Draft, selecting Kevin Garnett directly from high school.7)
Kevin Garnett became the face of the franchise, playing 12 seasons in his first stint with the team.8)
Garnett won the NBA MVP award in 2004, the only Timberwolf to do so.9)
The Wolves made their first playoff appearance in 1997, ending an eight-year wait.10)
In the 2003–04 season, they had their best record (58–24) and reached the Western Conference Finals.11)
The Wolves were knocked out of the playoffs three straight years (1997–1999) by the Utah Jazz.12)
Referee Tim Donaghy later claimed Game 6 of the 2004 Western Finals was rigged—a major NBA scandal.13)
In 2007, Garnett was traded to the Boston Celtics, ending an era.14)
Garnett returned to the Wolves in 2015 for a brief second stint before retiring.15)
Flip Saunders coached the Wolves to most of their success and returned in 2014 before his passing in 2015.16)
After Garnett, Kevin Love became the face of the franchise, making multiple All-Star teams.17)
Kevin Love once had 53 consecutive double-doubles, the longest such streak since the 1980s.18)
In 2017, the Wolves traded for Jimmy Butler, making the playoffs for the first time in 14 years.19)
Their 2018 playoff appearance ended a long postseason drought, second only to the Kings at the time.20)
Karl-Anthony Towns was drafted first overall in 2015 and is now a cornerstone of the team.21)
Towns won NBA Rookie of the Year in 2016, becoming the first Timberwolf to win the honor.22)
Towns won the 2022 NBA Three-Point Contest, rare for a center.23)
The team has produced several All-Stars including Garnett, Love, Towns, and Butler.24)
Anthony Edwards, the first overall pick in 2020, quickly became a fan favorite.25)
Edwards scored 50+ points in multiple games by age 22 and is a rising superstar.26)
In 2022, the Wolves had a 26-point comeback against the Clippers in the play-in tournament.27)
In 2022, the Wolves hired Tim Connelly as President of Basketball Operations from the Nuggets.28)
The team acquired Rudy Gobert in 2022 in a blockbuster trade to bolster defense.29)
Towns and Gobert form a rare double-center starting lineup, unusual in today’s NBA.30)
Under Coach Chris Finch, the Wolves have become one of the top defensive teams in the league.31)
The Wolves reached the Western Conference Finals in 2024, led by Edwards and Gobert.32)
They beat the defending champion Denver Nuggets in a thrilling 7-game series in 2024.33)
Undrafted center Naz Reid became a vital sixth man and fan favorite.34)
Multiple Timberwolves, including Gobert (France) and Towns (Dominican Republic), have shined internationally.35)
Despite being in a “hockey state,” the Timberwolves maintain a devoted basketball fanbase.36)
The Wolves once wore purple “City Edition” uniforms honoring Minnesota music icon Prince.37)
They’ve had over 25 different head coaches and hundreds of players since 1989.38)
The team has long been owned by Glen Taylor, though he’s now transitioning to new ownership.39)
Former MLB star Alex Rodriguez and businessman Marc Lore are set to become majority owners.40)
The Timberwolves' G League affiliate is the Iowa Wolves, based in Des Moines.41)
For multiple years, the Wolves had one of the youngest rosters in the NBA.42)
The Wolves once went 0–10 in overtime games during a single season, a rare NBA feat.43)
Players from more than 15 different countries have played for Minnesota.44)