Ricky Rubio’s first pass of training camp was an alley-oop to Andrew Wiggins, and the rookie finished off the pass with a two-handed slam.
Ricky Rubio Alley-Oop To Andrew Wiggins https://t.co/SMIiEDgPYS
— CJ Fogler 🫡 (@cjzero) September 30, 2014
The Timberwolves kicked off a new era and this season’s training camp with a form of midnight madness, which the team called “Dunks after Dark.” The team took the court at midnight at Bresnan Arena in the Taylor Center on the Minnesota State University, Mankato campus.
The night featured three, 12-minute scrimmages and a brief freestyle finished that was capped off with a between-the-legs dunk by LaVine.
The results of the event didn’t matter, as head coach Flip Saunders said the event was as much about entertainment as it was the beginning of training camp.
“I just thought it’d get us off to a very positive, enthusiastic, energetic start,” Saunders said Sunday. “And since I don’t go to bed until 3 in the morning, it doesn’t matter to me.’’
Fans getting their first look at #1 pick @22wiggins in a @MNTimberwolves jersey on @NBATV! #DunksAfterDark pic.twitter.com/Lzys8DZio5
— NBA (@NBA) September 30, 2014
Big Pek with the dime to @ZachLaVine at @MNTimberwolves #DunksAfterDark! https://t.co/K5xH7Vy7ke
— NBA (@NBA) September 30, 2014
This year’s training camp ushers in a new era of Wolves basketball, void of their best player over the past five years, Kevin Love. Love was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers this summer.
“Of course we’re going to miss him, but we don’t want to talk about could be or what it has been,” Rubio told NBA TV, according to the Star Tribune. “It’s what happened now and we’re ready to talk about the players we have, like Andrew Wiggins and players like that. I think it’s exciting. … Kevin was a superstar last year. It was his team. Now we all have to step up and put this team higher than it has been the last 10 years.
“We’re going to make it, and I think we’re excited to do it. That’s it.”
Shabazz Muhammad dunks on Ricky Rubio #DunksAfterDark https://t.co/lOdXvb3T8c
— Gifdsports (@gifdsports) September 30, 2014
Wiggins and LaVine at #DunksAfterDark! https://t.co/ARtRZPQlPq
— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) September 30, 2014
