Timberwolves draft pick Josh Minott is 'coming for everybody'

The player they call "Baby Giannis" could be a name to remember from this year's draft class.

Author:
Chris Schad
Publish date:
Jun 28, 2022 11:53 AM EDT

The player they call "Baby Giannis" could be a name to remember from this year's draft class.

Fans have had almost a week to digest Tim Connelly's first draft class for the Minnesota Timberwolves, but it's unclear which draft pick could have the biggest impact.

First-round picks Walker Kessler and Wendell Carter Jr. could vie for playing time right away and second-round selection Matteo Spagnolo might be a couple of years away from coming to the league, but the most intriguing pick of the class might be Josh Minott.

If you pulled up Minott's Sports Reference page, you might be confused. He averaged just 6.6 points and 3.8 rebounds in 33 games and shot just over 14% from beyond the arc. Although he started five games for Memphis last season he saw his playing time decrease toward the end of the season.

So why did teams such as the Utah Jazz -- who didn't have a pick in this year's draft and still hosted Minott for a pre-draft workout -- consider him a coveted prospect? It's because his analytics tell a different story.

Minott was a hyper-efficient player with the Tigers last season, averaging 18.3 points per 40 minutes. Memphis' offense was also better with him on the floor, with the Tigers averaging 117.6 points per 100 possessions while he was on the court.

Those numbers are impressive but judging Minott solely on his offensive efficiency would be a mistake. Minott was also a beast on the glass, averaging 10.3 rebounds per 40 minutes and 14.5 boards per 100 possessions despite playing next to lottery pick Jalen Duren.

Minott also flashed defensively, using his 6-foot-11 wingspan to get into passing lanes and block shots to create opportunities for his teammates. If you add in his above-the-rim athleticism, Minott is a jack-of-all-trades that could get better.

Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown, who served as an assistant on Penny Hardaway's staff at Memphis, predicts a bright future for Minott in the NBA.

“If you draft him, he’ll be like a lottery pick in two years,” Brown told the New York Post. “He’s young, long, athletic quick. He’s just got to grow and get better. He grew 2 inches when I was there. He’s that high-twitch athlete. So many NBA people have called me about him. A couple of years, you might have a diamond.’’

The Athletic's John Hollinger also is a fan of Minott's potential, listing him as the 10th overall player on his big board.

"Jalen Duren and, to a lesser extent, Emoni Bates got a lot of the attention on Memphis this year, while Minott saw his role fluctuate wildly, and he was hardly playing by the end of the year," Hollinger wrote. "And yet … the analytics on Minott are really impressive, with a sky-high steal rate of a big forward (3.6 per 100 possessions in AAC play), a positive assist-turnover rate and a 14.4 percent rebound rate despite often paying next to a lottery center."

There's also a possibility that Minott hasn't fully grown into his frame. Currently standing at 6-foot-8 and 197 pounds, Minott has a similar build to Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, who was 6-foot-9 and 196 pounds when he was drafted in 2013, prompting teammates to call him "Baby Giannis."

Antetokounmpo has since grown by two inches and plays at 242 pounds. Minott's high school coach, John O'Connell, believes he could have a similar future.

"Ever since he was a freshman here," O'Connell told CBS 12 News in West Palm Beach. "You could just tell, (and you thought) where's it going to end. Because he just kept growing and growing and growing. I tell everybody, I don't think he's done. And then what is he going to look like when he's done and he can carry some weight?"

If Minott realizes his potential, he can become the latest steal for Connelly who unearthed two-time reigning MVP Nikola Jokic with the 41st pick in the 2014 draft while he was with the Denver Nuggets. Even if he's not a future MVP, he could become the kind of role player that Connelly found regularly in Denver, including Monte Morris (51st overall, 2017) and Bones Hyland (26th overall, 2021 draft).

It's unknown what role Minott will fill, but it's clear that he believes he should have gone much higher in this draft.

"Angry, Angry,” Minott told the Miami Herald about being selected 45th overall. “I don’t know bro. Normally I mince my words with the media. I don’t know what to say right now. I’m coming for everybody. I thought I was going to go higher. That’s all I got for that one.”