Nowell Returns From NBA No-Man's Land to Play Again

Jaylen Nowell basically went 0-for-April for the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The former University of Washington shooting guard, who has worked so hard to carve a niche for himself in the NBA, suffered the misfortune of a right leg tibia contusion on April 4, tried to rush back from the injury and had to shut it down again.

On Friday, the 6-foot-4 Nowell finally declared himself healthy to return and he's appeared in a pair of games to prove it.

His availability couldn't have come at a better time with fellow Husky and Minnesota forward Jaden McDaniels missing a pair of games to attend a family funeral.

It's been a long road back, one fraught with frustration as Nowell went through a 1-for-14 shooting slump during his momentary comeback in mid-April while he was still hurting.

"It affected my shot the most," he told reporters. "I was really shooting off one leg and trying to come back, I came back a little too early. I came back when I was still hurting. I just wanted to have the least amount of time off as possible, so I kind of rushed back into things and you live and you learn."

While Nowell was out, Timberwolves teammate D'Angelo Russell returned to the court after his own absence and assumed the scoring responsibilities that the former Husky guard had taken over.

Nowell has made sure to be more of a complete player for Minnesota as he tries to fit in again.

"I just try to make sure that I pick up the defensive end," he said. "And maybe when I'm out there not overthinking it, but definitely facilitating a little bit more. Shifting that type of aspect in my game."

It's May now, a much better NBA month for Nowell.

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