The Timberwolves opened Summer League play in Las Vegas with a 70-69 loss to the Denver Nuggets, but first-round pick Josh Okogie flashed the potential Minnesota drafted him for.
Okogie shot just 2-of-10 including 1-of-5 from 3, but he finished with 10 points because he got to the free-throw line eight times. The 19-year-old shooting guard added seven rebounds and four assists while showing off his defensive prowess with three blocks and two steals.
“Offensively, it wasn’t my best game,” said Okogie, via reporter Dane Moore. “I was able to get some steals, blocks on the defensive end. And that’s what it’s all about. That’s what coach Thibs is all about…. Defense is something I feel like I can always control.”
You can watch all of Okogie’s highlights right here. We will warn you that the first minute or so of this doesn’t look pretty, but he gets it going in the second half.
Second-round pick Keita Bates-Diop, a 6-foot-7 small forward from Ohio State, scored five points and added seven rebounds.
