McDaniels' Greatness And Brashness Began At UW

The former Husky forward had a rise-up moment late in his brief college career.

Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels (3) and Denver forward Cameron Johnson collide during their playoff game. | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

They talked about the willowy basketball forward with the 1,000-yard stare as someone who maybe didn't step up as much as he should, who was a bit reckless with his actions at times, who seemingly had so much more to offer.

This was Jaden McDaniels six years ago as a freshman for the University of Washington basketball team, sort of an enigmatic presence for an underachieving group that finished 15-17 after beginning the season 11-4.

This also was the 6-foot-9 big man from Federal Way, Washington, who just led the short-handed Minnesota Timberwolves to a 4-2 playoff series win over the Denver Nuggets on Thursday night with his finest moment on the biggest stage.

His numbers: a career-best 32 points on 13-for-25 shooting, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and a block over 44 minutes in a 110-98 decision over Denver.

JADEN MCDANIELS TONIGHT:

32 POINTS
10 REBOUNDS
3 ASSISTS
2 STEALS
1 BLOCK
13/25 FGM
44 MINUTES

BACKED UP EVERY WORD. 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/l6ZZkULGDD

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) May 1, 2026

Rather than be a support player, McDaniels moved to the forefront for the Timberwolves not only for his basketball prowess but his competitive impertinence.

Early in the series, he said the Nuggets were all "bad defenders," causing them to do a collective shrug.

"I just didn't care," McDaniels said of that moment."I said what I said. I just don't care. It's just how I am."

There was his last-second basket in Game 4 that ws already decided in favor of Minnesota, one that sent Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic into a tirade in which he got into McDaniels' face and had to be pulled away.

Jokic felt he and his team were being mocked by the needless two-pointer, for which McDaniels was unapologetic.

"We all put the work in so [a win] is what we expect."

Jaden McDaniels and Terrence Shannon Jr. join @Sedano after advancing past the Denver Nuggets 😤 pic.twitter.com/fJJBAqZMAf

— ESPN (@espn) May 1, 2026

What gets lost in his actions is McDaniels is enjoying the finest season of his half-dozen in the NBA. Over the regular schedule, he averaged 14.8 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists over 73 games, while shooting 51.5 percent overall and 41.2 from 3-point range.

A half-dozen years ago, he was a true freshman who didn't seem all that interested in his UW debut season. He got benched. He was whistled for five technical fouls.

Mike Hopkins, while watching his team lose 13 of its final 17 games in not one of his better coaching efforts, felt the need to protect the teenaged prodigy back then.

"He's got a bad rep with everybody," Hopkins said of McDaniels in 2020. "They've already put him in a box that he does this and does that. He needs to relieve the pressure and have fun playing this game."

Jaden McDaniels called out the Whole Denver Nuggets Roster, for not being able to guard. Then proceeded to Drop 30 and eliminate them without Ant 😭

Jokic has never beat a 50+ win team in the playoffs pic.twitter.com/B6GQ31rvb2

— MNMuse (@_MNMuse) May 1, 2026

Near the end of that season, McDaniels did just that. He rose to the occasion by leading the struggling Huskies to a surprising road sweep of Arizona and Arizona State before the season ended.

He had 20 points and 6 rebounds in Tucson, and 16 points and 6 rebounds in Tempe, finally pulling the wraps off his college game.

Not long after that McDaniels declared he would make himself available for the NBA Draft and he remains the same extra talented yet sometimes renegade player.

"Now it goes back to having a little self control, because he's so competitive," Hopkins said at the time.

In the end, McDaniels did just that against the Nuggets.