Summer League in Las Vegas is almost here! It’s the moment basketball rubes across the world have been waiting for since the end of draft night. Getting the first glimpse at the exciting new rookies across the league is always an entertaining part of the offseason.
Here is the official press release the Wolves sent out this afternoon:
Minneapolis/St. Paul – The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced the team’s roster for the MGM Resorts NBA Summer League 2018 in Las Vegas. The Wolves open their summer league slate with a contest against the Denver Nuggets on July 6 at Cox Pavilion. The game will be broadcast on NBA TV.
The roster is headlined by the team’s 2018 NBA Draft picks: Josh Okogie (20th overall) and Keita Bates-Diop (48th overall), as well as returning All-NBA G League All-Rookie First Team selection Amile Jefferson. Player Development Coach John Lucas will handle head coaching responsibilities of the squad.
From July 6-17, all 30 NBA teams will participate in the 12-day, 82-game league which culminates in a tournament-style format to crown the NBA Summer League Champion. Teams will compete in three preliminary games beginning on July 6 before being seeded in a tournament that leads to the Championship Game on July 17. Each team will play at least five games in Las Vegas.
This summer will mark the 12th NBA Summer League in Las Vegas appearance for the Wolves (2006-10, 2012-18) where they are 26-32 all-time. A year ago, the Wolves went 3-2 in Summer League play.
MGM Resorts NBA Summer League 2018, which features all 30 NBA teams for the first time, will tip off with a record 10 games on Friday, July 6 and continue through Tuesday, July 17 at the Thomas & Mack Center and Cox Pavilion on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The first day of action will include five games on NBA TV and a tripleheader on ESPN.
For the second-consecutive year, ESPN will present every game from Las Vegas via the ESPN App, along with a record 46 games on its linear television channels (ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU).
NBA TV, co-managed by the NBA and Turner Sports, will air 36 games, beginning with the Summer League opener on July 6 when the Indiana Pacers, making their event debut, square off against the Houston Rockets at 2 p.m. CT. NBA TV’s coverage of Day 1 will also feature a 4 p.m. CT game between the Brooklyn Nets and the Orlando Magic, as well as an 8 p.m. CT matchup between the Washington Wizards and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Tickets for MGM Resorts NBA Summer League 2018 are on sale now. Fans can purchase tickets by visiting NBATickets.com.
The Wolves’ two rookies, Josh Okogie and Keita Bates-Diop, are the most important players to keep any eye on but Amile Jefferson and Jared Terrell are two other Summer Wolves we need to keep close track of. Jefferson dominated the G-League last season as he was on a two-way deal with the team. He will look to build on that and hopes to earn himself another contract with the Wolves. Terrell recently signed a two-way deal like Jefferson did last season and will look to show everyone why that was a smart move by Tom Thibodeau and Scott Layden.
The official roster is listed below and WAIT A MINUTE...PERRY JONES IS ON THE SQUAD!
I don’t know half of these guys but unlike last season there’s plenty of talent to watch on the court and that should help keep us more tuned in and attentive.
WOLVES 2018 NBA SUMMER LEAGUE ROSTER
Summer League Head Coach: John Lucas (Oklahoma State)
PRELIMINARY ROUND SCHEDULE (CT)
July 6 — Denver / Cox Pavilion @ 10:00 p.m. NBA TV
July 8 — Toronto / Cox Pavilion @ 2:00 p.m. NBA TV
July 9 — Brooklyn / Cox Pavilion @ 10:00 p.m. ESPNU
Teams will play three preliminary games between July 6-10 before being seeded in a tournament that starts on July 11 and concludes with the Championship Game on Tuesday, July 17. Each team will play a minimum of five games in Las Vegas.