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Timberwolves select Joan Beringer with 17th overall pick in 2025 draft

Beringer is an 18-year-old developmental center from France.
Will Ragatz|
Jun 25, 2025; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Joan Beringer stands with NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as the 17th pick by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft at Barclays Center.
Jun 25, 2025; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Joan Beringer stands with NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as the 17th pick by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

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Minnesota Timberwolves

The Minnesota Timberwolves have selected French center Joan Beringer with the 17th overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft.

Beringer doesn't turn 19 years old until November. He's a developing prospect who has spent the last two years playing professionally for Cedevita Olimpija in Slovenia. Last year, Beringer averaged 4.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks, but his upside is tremendous. He grew up playing soccer and only started focusing on basketball about four years ago.

The potential with the 6'10" Beringer is about athleticism with shot-blocking on defense and rim-running on offense. He's got great hands and movement ability, as well as a 7'4" wingspan. The Wolves are excited about the strides he's made over the past couple years and what he might be able to turn into over the next 5-10 years. The Athletic's Sam Vecenie wrote in his scouting report that "there's not a big man in this class who moves better than Beringer."

In Minnesota, Beringer will have an ideal role model in fellow French center Rudy Gobert, who has won four defensive player of the year awards. Gobert seems excited about the pick:

Beringer also joins a young roster core led by Anthony Edwards and Jaden McDaniels, as well as recent draft picks Rob Dillingham, Terrence Shannon Jr., and Jaylen Clark. The Wolves, who have been to back-to-back Western Conference Finals, have decisions to make this summer on veteran players Julius Randle, Naz Reid, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who can all potentially become free agents.

There had been some speculation about Beringer being a draft-and-stash player, but that will not be the case, according to Dane Moore. He'll come over to Minnesota for the upcoming season and begin his NBA career as an 18-year-old rookie. Presumably, he'll first put on a Wolves jersey at the Summer League in Vegas next month. It'll also be interesting to see if he gets some time with the G League time in Iowa as he continues to develop.

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Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ

Will Ragatz is a senior writer for Vikings On SI, who also covers the Twins, Timberwolves, Gophers, and other Minnesota teams. He is a credentialed Minnesota Vikings beat reporter, covering the team extensively at practices, games and throughout the NFL draft and free agency period. Ragatz attended Northwestern University, where he studied at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. During his time as a student, he covered Northwestern Wildcats football and basketball for SB Nation’s Inside NU, eventually serving as co-editor-in-chief in his junior year. In the fall of 2018, Will interned in Sports Illustrated’s newsroom in New York City, where he wrote articles on Major League Baseball, college football, and college basketball for SI.com.

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