Minnesota Timberwolves Kick Off Training Camp with Annual Media Day
The Minnesota Timberwolves held their annual Media Day on Monday in Minneapolis, marking the beginning of training camp. Unlike previous years, which often saw major trades, pending contract situations, and trade demands, this year’s event was relatively calm. With most of the team’s nucleus returning from last season’s Western Conference Finals run, the atmosphere was drama-free.
Despite the lack of major news, there were some notable highlights from the event. The team’s players shared their thoughts on various topics, providing insight into their mindset and goals for the upcoming season.
Player Quotes and Notes
Anthony Edwards, one of the team’s star players, discussed his approach to motivating himself during games against non-marquee opponents. “Try to get a career high in points. I think that’s how I’m going to try to do it, because I usually approach it like, ‘Ah, I’m going to let my teammates get that (stuff) off.’ Instead, I’m just going to go for a career high. I think that’s how I’m going to stay engaged,” he said.
Mike Conley, a veteran point guard, shared his excitement about getting his first hole-in-one over the summer. “I tell you what, I told my wife, she was out of the country at the time. I said, ‘It’s probably the greatest thing that’s ever happened to me in my life.’ And I doubled down on it, man. But it was great. It was great. It’s hard to do, obviously, I’ve been trying for almost 17 years. So, I’m thankful,” he said.
Conley also discussed his role on the team, emphasizing his desire to share the ball with his teammates. “We talk about it all the time, and it’s something that I tell them every time. ‘If I get the ball, I promise y’all, I’m not trying to go shoot this thing. I promise you, if you run, I’m gonna throw it up to you. I want to play quarterback, all-time quarterback.’ That’s what I want to do. I don’t want to move. I want to throw it to you and let you guys just have the world,” he said.
First-round pick Joan Beringer expressed his ambition to become one of the best players in the league. “I don’t want to put a limit on my potential. I want to be one of the best players of the league, be the best defender. This is my goal, and every day I wake up for it,” he said.
Jaylen Clark discussed his approach to re-establishing himself as a tough opponent. “I feel like leaning into, like, what Minnesota is about. It’s cold as hell here. Plenty of people would rather be in Miami when they come play. Just embrace the fact that, you know, people are trying to get out of here as quick as possible. Make this night as long and hard for them as possible. Be antagonizing, getting under people’s skin. Just being the people nobody wants to play against, like what Detroit used to be in the Bad Boy era against the Bulls. You just knew you were in for a long night,” he said.
Injury Updates and Player News
Donte DiVincenzo, who pulled out of playing for Italy in EuroBasket over the summer due to a sprained toe, provided an update on his health. “I’m healthy. I’m fine. To finish the season last year, as you guys know, I had the option to get surgery. I elected not to. Surgery would have put me out, I think, five, six months, and we put a plate in the shoe to restrict that mobility of my toe and just precautionary of being able to open that range up and get the strength back in that toe,” he said.
Bones Hyland, who spent much of the offseason in Miami, discussed his decision to return to the Timberwolves. “Minnesota is something I wanted to come back to, I kept telling the front office that, and they kept calling: ‘We want you back, we want you back.’ So it was just a matter of getting something done. But that was in the back of my mind like, ‘Yeah I’m coming back for sure.’ And then we figured something out, and it was perfect,” he said.
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