NBA · Northwest · Minneapolis, Minnesota, US · Target Center
Minnesota Timberwolves
Basketball returned to the Land of 10,000 Lakes in 1989, and the Timberwolves have been navigating the frozen wilderness of NBA contention ever since - a franchise whose Kevin Garnett era proved Minnesota could sustain basketball passion, and whose Anthony Edwards era is proving it again.
1989–1994
The Expansion Years
Basketball returns to Minnesota
The Timberwolves entered the NBA in 1989, bringing professional basketball back to Minnesota for the first time since the Lakers left for Los Angeles in 1960. The early years were predictably difficult - the Wolves won just 22 games in their inaugural season and didn't improve quickly. The expansion roster lacked star power, and the team struggled to compete in a loaded Western Conference.
The franchise's fortunes began to change when they used the fifth overall pick in the 1995 draft on Kevin Garnett, a 19-year-old straight out of high school who would transform the franchise.
Key Facts
- Entered the NBA as an expansion team in 1989
- Brought pro basketball back to Minnesota after Lakers left in 1960
- Struggled in the early years with typical expansion growing pains
- Kevin Garnett drafted 5th overall in 1995 straight from high school
1995–2007
The Kevin Garnett Era
One man carrying a franchise
Kevin Garnett was one of the most intense and talented players in NBA history - a 6-foot-11 forward with guard skills, elite defensive instincts, and a competitive fire that bordered on terrifying. Garnett transformed the Timberwolves from a bottom-feeder into a playoff team, leading Minnesota to eight consecutive postseason appearances from 1997 to 2004.
The pinnacle came in 2003-04, when Garnett won the MVP award and led the Timberwolves to the Western Conference Finals for the first and only time in franchise history. Paired with Sam Cassell and Latrell Sprewell, the Wolves pushed the Lakers to six games before falling. It was the closest the franchise had ever come to the Finals.
However, the organization's inability to surround Garnett with consistent talent wore him down. A salary cap violation by the franchise - which cost the Wolves multiple first-round draft picks - hamstrung the team's ability to build a winner. Garnett was eventually traded to the Boston Celtics in 2007, where he won the championship that had eluded him in Minnesota.
Key Facts
- Garnett won the 2004 MVP and led the Wolves to the Western Conference Finals
- Eight consecutive playoff appearances from 1997-2004
- Salary cap violation cost the franchise critical draft picks
- Garnett traded to Boston in 2007, won a championship there
2008–2021
The Wilderness Years
Searching for the next great player
After Garnett's departure, the Timberwolves entered a prolonged period of futility. The franchise missed the playoffs in 13 of the next 14 seasons, cycling through coaches and failed roster experiments. The acquisition of Kevin Love provided some individual brilliance - Love became an All-Star with impressive scoring and rebounding numbers - but the team couldn't translate his talent into wins.
Jimmy Butler's one-season stint in 2017-18 brought the franchise back to the playoffs for the first time since 2004, but Butler's acrimonious departure (including a legendary practice in which he reportedly challenged the entire roster) created turmoil. Karl-Anthony Towns, drafted first overall in 2015, developed into one of the league's best offensive big men but couldn't elevate the team alone.
The franchise needed a dynamic wing player to build around, and the 2020 draft delivered one.
Key Facts
- Missed the playoffs in 13 of 14 seasons after Garnett's departure
- Kevin Love was an All-Star but couldn't lift the team
- Karl-Anthony Towns drafted #1 overall in 2015
- Jimmy Butler's contentious one-year stint in 2017-18
2020–Present
The Anthony Edwards Era
Ant-Man arrives and the Wolves rise
Anthony Edwards, the dynamic guard from the University of Georgia, was selected first overall in the 2020 draft. Edwards's combination of explosive athleticism, fearless confidence, and rapidly improving skills made him one of the most exciting young players in the NBA. His thunderous dunks and ice-cold demeanor in big moments earned him the "Ant-Man" nickname and comparisons to a young Dwyane Wade.
The 2023-24 season was a watershed moment for the franchise. With Edwards leading the way alongside Karl-Anthony Towns, Rudy Gobert, and a deep supporting cast, the Timberwolves won 56 games and reached the Western Conference Finals - the franchise's first trip since 2004. Edwards's performances in the playoff run - including his dominant series against the Phoenix Suns - announced him as one of the NBA's next great superstars.
The Wolves' resurgence has reinvigorated basketball in Minnesota. Edwards's charisma and ability have given the franchise a face to build around for the next decade, and the combination of elite defense (anchored by Gobert) and Edwards's scoring potential has positioned the Timberwolves as legitimate championship contenders.
Key Facts
- Anthony Edwards drafted #1 overall in 2020
- Won 56 games in 2023-24, reached the Western Conference Finals
- Rudy Gobert acquired in 2022, anchored an elite defense
- Edwards emerged as one of the NBA's brightest young superstars