Watch: Andrew Wiggins throws down impressive dunk vs. Cavaliers
Timberwolves rookie Andrew Wiggins offered the Cavaliers a glimpse at what they missed out on when the Cavs traded the No. 1 pick for Kevin Love this offseason. The rookie forward threw down a powerful dunk during Tuesday night's game in Cleveland, right in the grill of the aforementioned Love.
Midway through the third quarter, fellow rookie Zach LaVine navigated a screen set by Wiggins and dribbled toward the top of the key. Wiggins stepped beyond the three-point line, caught the ball, and exploded past Shawn Marion into the lane. Kevin Love stepped into his path, but not before Wiggins was already preparing to elevate for a one-handed jam.
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Wiggins is renowned for his athletic ability. In a pre-draft workout, the Kansas product reportedly recorded a vertical leap of 44 inches. An image of Wiggins leaping during a test spawned a series of memes.
The Cavaliers selected Wiggins with the No. 1 overall pick in this year's draft before sending him to Minnesota as part of a package for Love.
On Tuesday night, Wiggins scored a career-high 27 points on 9-of-16 shooting in a 125-104 loss that dropped the Timberwolves to 5-22, the worst record in the Western Conference. Cleveland improved to 17-10, good for fifth place in the East.
Over 26 games this season, Wiggins is averaging 12.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists while excelling on the defensive end. The 6-foot-8 forward has emerged as a contender for the NBA's Rookie of the Year Award.
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