Wolves take Joan Beringer at #17...

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Lots of raw potential!!! Really quick, nimble and athletic for somebody sooo long. Runs very well.
Catches better than Rudy by a lot! Very similar game to Rudy. And coincidentally both from France. Right now Joan has trouble from the free throw line....important to get better there to avoid hack a shack. I like the pick...new owners were saying they are not thinking short term but long term patience...this pick suggests that. Beringer has only hooped for 3 or 4 years. Potential is amazing!
 


60's Guy said:
Lots of raw potential!!! Really quick, nimble and athletic for somebody sooo long. Runs very well.
Catches better than Rudy by a lot! Very similar game to Rudy. And coincidentally both from France. Right now Joan has trouble from the free throw line....important to get better there to avoid hack a shack. I like the pick...new owners were saying they are not thinking short term but long term patience...this pick suggests that. Beringer has only hooped for 3 or 4 years. Potential is amazing!
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Appreciate the report. I value your player assessments.

My snap feeling is, I hope we didn’t pick
Indi Ebi again.

Potential without demonstrable production is always a scary proposition in sports drafts. Although, leading adriatic league in blocks? In only 18 minutes, with up and down technique, might ease the feeling.

Although, I’m sure the coach in you hears quick feet, and drools. I can always do something with someone that really knows thier feet. It’s a superlative that I actually hear loudly; instead of the snoopy - blah blah blah….
 

A little underwhelmed

At 17 it’s always going to either be a developmental guy, someone with flaws or an older guy with capped potential

I get it with ant’s age that you’re also future focused but the lack of a scoring guard who can play pick and roll to take pressure off ant was particularly glaring in the postseason. Little worried they’re selling this like he’s future Rudy and could be lime wemby when he has shown not much outside shot blocking and rim running in a lower league with poor shooting splits outside of dunking (not to mention selling him as a multi year defensive mvp is a ton of pressure to put on him) almost none of the polish a guy like Wemby has (he is a generational type of talent if he can stay healthy).

We aren’t going to know on this one until basically his second contract. This is part of what makes the modern nba draft so damn weird is some guy averaging 4/4 is a first round pick
 



ESPN chimes in:

Woo: Joan Beringer to the Timberwolves at No. 18. I'm high on Beringer's long-term outlook -- it's hard to find centers with his caliber of physical traits who can also run the floor and protect the rim. His age and relative inexperience leave a ton of room for him to improve.

Getting to develop behind another Frenchman in Rudy Gobert, who could be a valuable mentor as Beringer makes a major leap to the NBA level, could be an ideal situation to help him tap into his significant ability.

This might take some time to pay off, but as Minnesota continues to try to build a winner with Anthony Edwards, landing a talent of this caliber and also addressing a long-term need could be a real coup.

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Best picks, surprising moves and top trades from the NBA draft: Making sense of Round 1

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Howl Wolves!!
 

The Athletic chimes in:

17. Minnesota Timberwolves

Joan Beringer | 6-11 big | 18 years old | KK Cedevita Olimpija

Vecenie’s ranking: 13

Where you fall on Beringer will ultimately be determined by your willingness to take on a project. It’s going to take time to get Beringer up to speed across the board. He’s still exceptionally raw and learning the game. Things move fast for him right now, and his reactions can often be slow in the way that they tend to be when you’re first learning how to do something. Still, there’s not a big man in this class who moves better than Beringer. He’s exceptionally twitchy when he’s on the floor and when he lifts off the ground to block a shot or dunk. He also is flexible and plays with genuine bend. Not many people this size move like this.

Given that he’s also highly regarded from a character perspective, it’s hard not to buy into him as an NBA player at some point. At the very least, he could turn into a backup center. There is more upside than that, as he could easily turn into a Capela-style big man who runs the floor, defends well and finishes on the interior. The athletic traits are ridiculous to go with his hands. But realistically, every NBA team will feel differently about whether it is willing to take on Beringer as a project. Some do not have interest, and others see him as a starting center of the future if they can get him the right coaching and development.

Hollinger’s analysis: Beringer is a developmental teenage center who impressed with his potential in the Adriatic League; I had him rated lower than most due to concerns about his limited offensive potential, but there is a pathway here for his shot-blocking to eventually supplant that of Rudy Gobert as he develops. Minnesota may also have felt some pressure to go big here given the potential free agency of Naz Reid and Julius Randle.

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Howl Wolves!!
 

SI chimes in:

17. Minnesota Timberwolves: Joan Beringer, Cedevita Olimpija (Slovenia)​

Grade: B+​

The production is still catching up to the potential with Beringer, but for a player as new to the game as Beringer is, the flashes are appealing. He was effective particularly on the defensive end in the Adriatic League and has elite upside on that end of the floor as a rim protector. He’ll get to learn under another French shot blocker in Rudy Gobert.

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NBA Draft First-Round Grades: Every Selection From Cooper Flagg to No. 30

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Howl Wolves!!
 



CBS chimes in:

17. Minnesota Timberwolves (via Pistons): C Joan Beringer, France

He's very young. He doesn't turn 19 until November and has only played for a few years. But he's just under 7-feet without shoes and has better than a 7-foot-4 wingspan. He's an extreme athlete with excellent mobility and good hands. His archetype is a rim-running shot blocker and lob threat. That's very valued in today's NBA. In Minnesota, Beringer gets to learn under Rudy Gobert -- and could potentially take over for him a few years down the road. That's a great succession plan at the center spot. Grade: A
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2025 NBA Draft grades: Pick-by-pick analysis for Cooper Flagg, Ace Bailey, all first-round selections

Flagg and Dylan Harper went off the board with the first two picks in Brooklyn
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Howl Wolves!!
 

NBC chimes in:

Minnesota Timberwolves: B​

Joan Beringer (17)

This was the Timberwolves picking the best player they saw on the board rather than thinking fit — Minnesota doesn’t really have a need for another center right now. Beringer is a bit of a project, but he showed potential as a shot-blocking, rim-running big in the Adriatic League last season. He has good athleticism and the Timberwolves can play the long game with him and give him time to develop.

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2025 NBA Draft grades for every team in the first round

It was a good day to be the Mavericks, not so much for Trail Blazers fans.
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Howl Wolves!!
 

Dinks at Yahoo chime in:

17. Minnesota Timberwolves: Joan Beringer, C, Cedevita Olimpija​

Grade: C-​

He's one of the rawest projects in the entire draft. Makes you wonder what the Wolves' plan is with the other bigs on the roster, notably Rudy Gobert and Julius Randle. Beringer dunks everything around the basket. He's a rim protector and has shown improvement in other aspects of his defense. An area he'll need to improve on is he was a hackable player you didn't fear sending to the free-throw line. He's a worker, though, and wants to get better.

sports.yahoo.com

2025 NBA Draft grades, first-round pick-by-pick analysis: Mavs get A+ for Cooper Flagg, but Ace Bailey to Utah?

How are teams performing in the 2025 NBA Draft? We're handing out grades for every first-round pick.
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Howl Wolves!!
 

Bleacher Report chimes in:

17. Minnesota Timberwolves: Joan Beringer, C, Cedevit​


This is good value for the Timberwolves, even if they don’t have an obvious opening at center unless Naz Reid bolts in free agency. This draft turned center-heavy at the No. 10 pick, yet Joan Beringer somehow fell to No. 17.

That feels like mistakes were made by at least a few teams selecting other centers. Between Beringer’s physical tools and the potential tied to them, he shouldn’t have been on the board anymore. As an added bonus, the Wolves need to give him exactly zero minutes until he’s ready to handle them since they have that aforementioned frontcourt depth.

The sales pitch with Beringer is pretty easy and essentially all told in numbers and measurements: 6'11" with a 7'4" wingspan and 18 years old until mid-November. He has room to grow his game—and noticeably lacks polish—but there's already a simple rim-running projection here with the added utility of being comfortable and capable of defending in space.

He still needs to fill out his narrow frame, and his lack of awareness might be more easily exploited in the Association, at least early in his NBA career. But he'll be a plug-and-play lob threat and might have All-Defensive potential if everything breaks right with his development.


Howl Wolves!!
 



BleedGopher said:
NBC chimes in:

Minnesota Timberwolves: B​

Joan Beringer (17)

This was the Timberwolves picking the best player they saw on the board rather than thinking fit — Minnesota doesn’t really have a need for another center right now. Beringer is a bit of a project, but he showed potential as a shot-blocking, rim-running big in the Adriatic League last season. He has good athleticism and the Timberwolves can play the long game with him and give him time to develop.

www.nbcsports.com

2025 NBA Draft grades for every team in the first round

It was a good day to be the Mavericks, not so much for Trail Blazers fans.
www.nbcsports.com www.nbcsports.com

Howl Wolves!!
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NBC with the worst take I've seen so far. The Wolves absolutely need a center right now. Garza is not a reliable backup. If Randle leaves, Naz will see most of his minutes at the PF. If Naz leaves, they would have to go out and get a veteran center, which is not as easy as it sounds with no money.
 



The pick makes sense.

He is a high upside guy who seems to avoid the pitfalls of some of the 7" young guys who flopped. If you look at Justin Patton, he wasn't a good shot blocker in the Missouri Valley Conference.

One other thing every team in the west needs to come to terms with is that they'll need someone to answer for Wemby. You need a freakishly athletic C to even have a shot. Our division is full of these kinds of guys (Chet, Wemby, Dallas has a couple of them).
 

Bob_Loblaw said:
The pick makes sense.

He is a high upside guy who seems to avoid the pitfalls of some of the 7" young guys who flopped. If you look at Justin Patton, he wasn't a good shot blocker in the Missouri Valley Conference.

One other thing every team in the west needs to come to terms with is that they'll need someone to answer for Wemby. You need a freakishly athletic C to even have a shot. Our division is full of these kinds of guys (Chet, Wemby, Dallas has a couple of them).
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Just having video to go by, the best comparison I would make is Derrick Lively. Patton is a good reference, too. I think some us have those negative memories about him that we attempt to project onto Beringer.

My realistic favorites at #17 were Clayton Jr, Sorber and Coward with the last two (2) guys already gone. It sounds like Beringer never makes it #31 so hopefully Connelly got this one right.
 

Slim Tubby said:
Just having video to go by, the best comparison I would make is Derrick Lively. Patton is a good reference, too. I think some us have those negative memories about him that we attempt to project onto Beringer.

My realistic favorites at #17 were Clayton Jr, Sorber and Coward with the last two (2) guys already gone. It sounds like Beringer never makes it #31 so hopefully Connelly got this one right.
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I liked those guys as well. I probably liked Sorber slightly more than Beringer, but I think Beringer might be the higher upside.
 

Connelly, "I was blown away relative to how little he's played and how far he has come. This is my 29th or 30th draft and he's one of the most unique players I've ever seen"
 

Both picks by the Wolves make little sense to me. We're in a need-to-win-now mode, and instead we draft two similar players - rim defenders that can't shoot - who are both projects. Two Rudy clones. For the second pick they should have stuck with Fleming. After they kept dropping down, I was hoping they'd select Marković.
 


Bob_Loblaw said:
The pick makes sense.

He is a high upside guy who seems to avoid the pitfalls of some of the 7" young guys who flopped. If you look at Justin Patton, he wasn't a good shot blocker in the Missouri Valley Conference.

One other thing every team in the west needs to come to terms with is that they'll need someone to answer for Wemby. You need a freakishly athletic C to even have a shot. Our division is full of these kinds of guys (Chet, Wemby, Dallas has a couple of them).
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Great pick. I really think they were smart here.

2nd round....not so much. The Minot and Garza love is confusing.
 

tikited said:
Great pick. I really think they were smart here.

2nd round....not so much. The Minot and Garza love is confusing.
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Yeah, I get the second round. I just didn't really think they'd end up taking anyone here. I think they wanted to stash and I think they got the guy they wanted to stash. I realize he's redundant, but he's 18 years old. Who knows what we will have on our team in 3-4 years.

For Garza, it feels a little like damned if you do, damned if you don't. For me, I just don't know if anyone available would be better next year than Garza. If that's where you're at, I can see the rationale in drafting a project big.

For Minott, it's not that I think he's great. I am just saying it seems like he belongs in the limited action we've seen and he can't sniff the court. So even if the guy is better than Minott, I'm not sure he plays.

I liked Clayton Jr. and Coward the best. I wish we would have picked Clayton Jr.
 

Beringer is the prototypical center to develop.

He's not close to playing any minutes in the NBA, but if he develops, he can anchor a defense and not get played off of the court in the playoffs due to his athleticism and mobility.

It'll take almost his entire rookie contract to develop him into a starter, but I'm excited to see him grow.
 

TruthSeeker said:
Beringer is the prototypical center to develop.

He's not close to playing any minutes in the NBA, but if he develops, he can anchor a defense and not get played off of the court in the playoffs due to his athleticism and mobility.

It'll take almost his entire rookie contract to develop him into a starter, but I'm excited to see him grow.
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agree with this. Does feel maybe like we're going to see the Wolves wave the white flag (slightly) while they try to reconfigure. They're so close to that 2nd apron and staying there is going to fuck our roster construction over time, so could see them reset around Ant and Jaden, neither of which is at their prime right now.

Have to hope some of these picks start to hit. For our guys we've drafted, there have been no hits since Ant in terms of contributing players currently on the roster.
 

Bob_Loblaw said:
Yeah, I get the second round. I just didn't really think they'd end up taking anyone here. I think they wanted to stash and I think they got the guy they wanted to stash. I realize he's redundant, but he's 18 years old. Who knows what we will have on our team in 3-4 years.

For Garza, it feels a little like damned if you do, damned if you don't. For me, I just don't know if anyone available would be better next year than Garza. If that's where you're at, I can see the rationale in drafting a project big.

For Minott, it's not that I think he's great. I am just saying it seems like he belongs in the limited action we've seen and he can't sniff the court. So even if the guy is better than Minott, I'm not sure he plays.

I liked Clayton Jr. and Coward the best. I wish we would have picked Clayton Jr.
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Finch gave Minott some run this year with the big boys and he repeatedly got lost on defense and missed his rotations. Then he got caught texting on the bench during a game and that was basically the end of the experiment.

Clayton Jr should've been our pick for a few reasons but now I'm excited to see if Beringer can tap into and expand upon the potential that blew Connelly away in his private workout with the team.
 

Slim Tubby said:
Finch gave Minott some run this year with the big boys and he repeatedly got lost on defense and missed his rotations. Then he got caught texting on the bench during a game and that was basically the end of the experiment.

Clayton Jr should've been our pick for a few reasons but now I'm excited to see if Beringer can tap into and expand upon the potential that blew Connelly away in his private workout with the team.
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LOL. Yeah, I actually forgot about that.

Beringer probably has a 3 out of 10 chance of being a good basketball player, but if he hits, it would be homerun.

My biggest concern is how much PT Clayton would actually get after we sign Ben Simmons to be our backup PG.
 



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