The Minnesota Timberwolves have decimated the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference semifinal series 4-1. They are all set for their second consecutive trip to the Western Conference Finals and another crack at making the first NBA Finals appearance in franchise history.
The Timberwolves are expected to stick with their core next season. With two picks in the 2025 NBA Draft, president of basketball operations Tim Connelly will look to continue strengthening Minnesota’s depth and finding players who can contribute alongside Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, and the rest of the Wolves’ core moving forward.
Timberwolves Predicted To Select Michigan Standout
The draft lottery took place on Monday night and was won, rather controversially, by the Dallas Mavericks with just 1.8% chances. It marked the fifth straight year a team with the worst record didn’t win the lottery, but the Mavericks, who played in the play-in tournament, won’t complain a bit.
The Timberwolves ended up with two picks, No. 17 and No. 31 — via Detroit and Utah, respectively — and CBS Sports’ Gary Parrish predicts they will select Danny Wolf out of Michigan in the first round.
“Wolf moved from the Ivy League to the Big Ten and, statistically, arguably performed even better,” Parrish wrote. “The 7-footer has guard skills and is a better defender than some realize. He could add frontcourt versatility to a Minnesota franchise led by Anthony Edwards and set up to compete for championships this season and beyond.”
Edwards has been a key part of the Timberwolves since being drafted first overall in 2020, and as Minnesota continues to strengthen the supporting cast around the MVP, selecting a player who can immediately make an impact makes sense.
Wolf averaged 13.2 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game to help the Wolverines win the Big Ten Tournament and reach the Sweet 16 last year. He is one of the most versatile players in this draft class and can slide between the point guard, power forward, and center positions.
PFSN’s Mock Draft Projection For Timberwolves
In PFSN’s latest 2025 NBA mock draft by Sterling Xie, following the lottery results, the Timberwolves were predicted to select Will Riley with the No. 17 pick.
“Riley is a 6’7” wing who is still a little raw after one season in college,” Xie wrote. “Illinois asked a lot of him, which allowed Riley to develop his passing and creation off the dribble as a slash-and-kick player. He averaged 12.6 points per game for the Illini, with a strong assist-to-turnover ratio for a wing (roughly 2-to-1).
“Riley’s shooting splits aren’t particularly impressive (43.2% from the field, 32.6% from 3, 72.4% from the free-throw line), though some of that stemmed from his high usage. Continuing to develop his game off the dribble will be key, since his jumper currently isn’t reliable enough to be his main contributing skill on offense.
“He could also use more weight at 195 pounds, not an uncommon issue for teenage prospects. Still, the Minnesota Timberwolves could target him as their next versatile two-way wing, in the mold of what they’ve rolled out with Jaden McDaniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker in recent seasons.”
Wolf, meanwhile, was selected two spots down by the Brooklyn Nets.
“Danny Wolf is one of the tougher players to gauge in this draft because of his unorthodox skill set. The 7’0” Michigan center excels as a ball-handler and passer while also creating more on-ball than most bigs. He nearly averaged a double-double for the Wolverines this season with 13.2 PPG and 9.7 RPG, while adding just under four assists per game as one of the primary playmakers as well.
“Wolf isn’t an efficient 3-point shooter (33.6% for his collegiate career), but some of that is due to his shot selection. In the NBA, it’s highly unlikely Wolf will be given the green light to take step-back and off-the-dribble 3s, at least initially. That could help improve his percentage while also cutting down on his unsightly 3.2 turnovers per game.
MORE: 2025 NBA Mock Draft Following Shocking Lottery Results
“Defensively, Wolf’s lack of high-end athleticism means he won’t be a great rim protector. However, his mobility lets him survive in space, which could make him a nice complement to current Nets center Claxton (who is a more traditional paint-bound rim protector and rebounder).”
