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Table of Contents
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Birth of the Pack
The Minnesota Timberwolves were founded in 1989 as an NBA expansion team.1)
Name That Team
The name “Timberwolves” was chosen from over 6,000 entries in a name-the-team contest.2)
Howling in the North
Minnesota was chosen because wolves are native to the state, and the name reflects the region’s wildlife.3)
Debut Game
The Wolves played their first-ever NBA game on November 3, 1989, against the Seattle SuperSonics.4)
Home Sweet Dome
Their original home arena was the Metrodome, shared with the Minnesota Twins and Vikings.5)
Target Center Era
In 1990, they moved into the Target Center, which remains their home arena today.6)
First Overall Pick Glory
The Wolves landed the first overall pick in the 1995 NBA Draft, selecting Kevin Garnett directly from high school.7)
Garnett the Great
Kevin Garnett became the face of the franchise, playing 12 seasons in his first stint with the team.8)
The MVP Season
Garnett won the NBA MVP award in 2004, the only Timberwolf to do so.9)
A Playoff Drought Ended
The Wolves made their first playoff appearance in 1997, ending an eight-year wait.10)
Best Season Ever
In the 2003–04 season, they had their best record (58–24) and reached the Western Conference Finals.11)
Malone & Stockton Spoilers
The Wolves were knocked out of the playoffs three straight years (1997–1999) by the Utah Jazz.12)
Zebras and the Controversy
Referee Tim Donaghy later claimed Game 6 of the 2004 Western Finals was rigged—a major NBA scandal.13)
From Big Ticket to Big Trade
In 2007, Garnett was traded to the Boston Celtics, ending an era.14)
A Legendary Return
Garnett returned to the Wolves in 2015 for a brief second stint before retiring.15)
Coach Flip Saunders
Flip Saunders coached the Wolves to most of their success and returned in 2014 before his passing in 2015.16)
The Kevin Love Era
After Garnett, Kevin Love became the face of the franchise, making multiple All-Star teams.17)
Record Breaker
Kevin Love once had 53 consecutive double-doubles, the longest such streak since the 1980s.18)
The Butler Year
In 2017, the Wolves traded for Jimmy Butler, making the playoffs for the first time in 14 years.19)
Wolves Back in the Hunt
Their 2018 playoff appearance ended a long postseason drought, second only to the Kings at the time.20)
Cat in the Den
Karl-Anthony Towns was drafted first overall in 2015 and is now a cornerstone of the team.21)
A Rookie of the Year
Towns won NBA Rookie of the Year in 2016, becoming the first Timberwolf to win the honor.22)
Three-Point King
Towns won the 2022 NBA Three-Point Contest, rare for a center.23)
All-Star Representation
The team has produced several All-Stars including Garnett, Love, Towns, and Butler.24)
Anthony Edwards’ Arrival
Anthony Edwards, the first overall pick in 2020, quickly became a fan favorite.25)
The Ant Show
Edwards scored 50+ points in multiple games by age 22 and is a rising superstar.26)
Historic Comeback
In 2022, the Wolves had a 26-point comeback against the Clippers in the play-in tournament.27)
The New Front Office
In 2022, the Wolves hired Tim Connelly as President of Basketball Operations from the Nuggets.28)
Gobert Joins the Pack
The team acquired Rudy Gobert in 2022 in a blockbuster trade to bolster defense.29)
The Twin Towers
Towns and Gobert form a rare double-center starting lineup, unusual in today’s NBA.30)