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McDaniels Draws First NBA Start, Replacing Late-Arriving Teammate

The former Husky forward pulled his first opening assignment in his 23rd pro game.
Dan Raley|
McDaniels Draws First NBA Start, Replacing Late-Arriving Teammate
McDaniels Draws First NBA Start, Replacing Late-Arriving Teammate

A year ago, Jaden McDaniels might have been on the other end of this equation.

The former University of Washington forward received his first NBA start for the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night, replacing veteran Malik Beasley, who showed up late for the game walk-through.

The 6-foot-9 McDaniels was described as beaming as he was announced as the first-teamer and ran though a line of his teammates before facing the Indiana Pacers. In a 132-128 overtime loss, he played 37 minutes and scored 11 points, grabbed 4 rebounds and blocked 3 shots.

It took him 23 games into his rookie season to become a pro starter, even if it was just temporary to punish the older player.

McDaniels hadn't started a basketball game since January 30, 2020, when he opened for the Huskies in a 75-72 loss to Arizona. Coach Mike Hopkins made him a reserve for the final 10 games after he drew a spate of technical fouls, injured a leg and generally had his performance fall off. 

In Philadelphia, former Husky guard Matisse Thybulle made his first start of the season in the 76ers' 118-113 victory over the Houston Rockets. The second-year guard stepped in for Ben Simmons, who sat out with an unrelated COVID-19 illness.

Thybulle pulled 31 minutes and in typical fashion hit both of his field goals and lone free throw, stole the ball four times and blocked a shot. 

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Dan Raley
DAN RALEY

Dan Raley has worked for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, as well as for MSN.com and Boeing, the latter as a global aerospace writer. His sportswriting career spans four decades and he's covered University of Washington football and basketball during much of that time. In a working capacity, he's been to the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals, the MLB playoffs, the Masters, the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship and countless Final Fours and bowl games.

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