From one Midwest “M” to another: NBA Tuesday migrates a bit west from Milwaukee to Minneapolis today to look at the elite guys in the history of an expansion franchise that has never reached the NBA Finals. The Timberwolves have had their share of good-to-great players, but generally, the organization has not been able to keep them in town. Thus, this list is pretty eclectic and intriguing as far as understanding context.

No. 10: Tom Gugliotta, SF/PF—19.0 WS (1995-1998)

The small Win Shares mark here shows just how “transitory” the T’wolves’ roster has been since the team’s start in 1989. He played just 231 regular-season games (18.2 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 3.8 apg, 1.7 spg, 1.0 bpg) in Minnesota—and only 3 postseason contests. Yet somehow, Googs is on this list. His lone career All-Star nod did come with the Timberwolves (1997), though, so that’s positive. But get used to this kind of profile here.

No. 9: Christian Laettner, PF/C—19.0 WS (1992-1996)

Fresh off his 1992 Olympics participation, he joined the organization as the No. 3 overall pick in the draft and posted 17.2 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 3.2 apg, 1.2 spg, and 1.1 bpg over 276 regular-season contests. Those numbers are similar to the player above him on the list, of course, although Laettner was never the savior of the franchise that the team envisioned. He didn’t make an All-Star team, and he never reached the playoffs here.

No. 8: Terrell Brandon, PG—23.1 WS (1999-2002)

In the final 202 regular-season games of his career, he posted 15.6 ppg, 8.3 apg, 3.5 rpg, and 1.9 spg while eventually retiring due to injury. He did not reach an All-Star Game while with the team, however, as his best years were already behind him when he arrived. Yet, he did play well in 12 postseason games with the organization (18.0 ppg, 7.3 apg, 5.8 rpg, 1.3 spg), but the T’Wolves never escaped their first-round matchup(s).

No. 7: Ricky Rubio, PG—26.4 WS (2011-2017, 2020-2021)

In some ways, he’s the prototypical Minnesota player: long on promise, short on results. He was the No. 5 overall draft pick in 2009, but he stayed in Europe playing for a few years. Then, he never made an All-Star team once he did show up in the NBA; he just couldn’t shoot. He posted 10.1 ppg, 8.1 apg, 4.1 rpg, and 2.0 spg in his 421 games with the team, which is solid, overall—but the Timberwolves never made the postseason.

No. 6: Gorgui Dieng, C/PF—26.5 WS (2013-2020)

A Utah Jazz first rounder, he ended up playing for Minnesota in his rookie season. Over 498 regular-season contests with the team, he averaged 7.9 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 1.4 apg, and 1.0 bpg. In 5 playoff games with the franchise, he was even worse (3.4 ppg, 3.6 rpg). We’re not sure how he makes this list, other than sheer volume (sound familiar?). Eventually, the team unloaded him in a 3-way trade with Memphis and Miami.

No. 5: Sam Mitchell, PF/SF—32.9 WS (1989-1992, 1995-2002)

He was a third rounder in 1985, and many people touted him as the consummate professional grinder. We’ll say: in 757 games with the team, Mitchell put up 9.5 ppg, 4.0 rpg, and 1.2 apg in 24.3 mpg. He only started 291 of those games, and he never made an All-Star team—but he stuck around for a long time with the franchise in 2 different stints due to his popularity with his teammates. He also got into 23 playoff games.

No. 4: Wally Szczerbiak, SF—41.0 WS (1999-2006)

We gave him our ROTY nod in 2000, which says something for this No. 6 overall pick in the draft. He was an All Star in 2002, as well, although that was his only such designation ever. In 438 regular-season games with the Timberwolves, he posted 15.5 ppg, 4.4 rpg, and 2.7 apg. He also played 29 playoff contests with Minnesota, managing 12.7 ppg, 4.0 rpg, and 1.8 apg in that action. Overall, a solid career, but not great at all.

No. 3: Kevin Love, C/PF—47.0 WS (2008-2014)

As the No. 5 overall pick in the draft, he arrived with expectations … and he did very well, all things considered. Love made 3 All-Star teams in his 6 seasons with the T’Wolves, and in 364 regular-season games, he averaged 19.2 ppg, 12.2 rpg, and 2.5 apg—leading the NBA in rebounding once (2011). However, he played with the team during a severe downturn in fortune, so Love never got to the postseason with the club.

No. 2: Karl-Anthony Towns, C/PF—75.2 WS (2015-present)

One of the very few to stick around longterm with the franchise, he was the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, and KAT has made 4 All-Star teams in the process while also winning the 2016 ROTY nod. Nothing to complain about here, statistically, either: 22.9 ppg, 10.9 rpg, 3.2 apg, and 1.3 bpg in 571 regular-season games. Across 16 playoff games, he has added 18.6 ppg, 11.4 rpg, 2.1 apg, and 1.3 bpg as well. Well done!

No. 1: Kevin Garnett, SF/PF—139.8 WS (1995-2007, 2015-2016)

By far the king of this list, the Big Ticket thrived for a long time in Minnesota: 10 times an All Star and 4 times the NBA rebounding champ (2004-2007). He was the No. 5 overall pick in the 1995 Draft, and he posted 19.8 ppg, 11.0 rpg, 4.3 apg, 1.6 bpg, and 1.4 spg over two stints with the organization (970 regular-season games). He led the team to 47 playoff contests, too: 22.3 ppg, 13.4 rpg, 5.0 apg, 1.9 bpg, and 1.3 spg.