Timberwolves' teenage rookie centers will get an MVP test on Friday

It appears that the Timberwolves' two teenage rookie big men are going to get an MVP-level test on Friday night in Minnesota's preseason finale.

76ers star center Joel Embiid has been cleared to make his return from a knee injury and play on Friday, giving him one tune-up outing before the regular season starts next week. But the 2023 MVP and five-time All-NBA selection won't be going up against Rudy Gobert or Julius Randle, who got their final preseason work in on Thursday night in Chicago.

Instead, Embiid's frontcourt opposition will likely be 18-year-old Joan Beringer and 19-year-old Rocco Zikarsky, the Wolves' two selections (with picks No. 17 and 45 overall, respectively) in this year's draft. That should be quite something.

Beringer has substantial long-term upside, particularly on the defensive end of the floor, due to his length and leaping ability. He also has a lot of work to do to fill out his frame and get stronger, which will happen with time. Right now, he's listed at 6'11" and 230 pounds.

In his first NBA preseason, Beringer has already gotten some valuable experience against veteran centers like the Nuggets' Nikola Jokic and Jonas Valanciunas and the Knicks' Karl-Anthony Towns. His minutes against the 33-year-old Valanciunas, who is listed at 265 pounds, were a particularly memorable part of his first (unofficial) NBA game.

Oct 4, 2025; San Diego, California, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves center Joan Beringer (19) defends against Denver Nuggets center Jonas Valanciunas (17) during the first half at Pechanga Arena. | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

"Valanciunas was very, very strong," Beringer said earlier this week. "He was very strong. I think it's a really good experience for me to play against these type of players, because when I was in Slovenia last year, I never played against these type of players."

Embiid is a different level of challenge. Listed at 280 pounds, he's the most physically imposing center of this era of basketball, not to mention his immense skill.

Beringer scored 14 points in that game against the Nuggets and has at least one blocked shot in all five preseason contests so far. His defense gives him a chance to see some sporadic playing time for the Timberwolves in his rookie season.

Zikarsky, the Wolves' second-round pick, is 7'3" and listed at 227 pounds, which is strange considering he weighed in at 257 pounds at the draft combine this year. He's probably a bit more suited to bang in the post with Embiid from a strength perspective than Beringer, but he's also incredibly raw. Zikarsky is on a two-way deal and is expected to spend the majority of this year developing with the Iowa Wolves in the G League.

It's unclear how much Embiid will play on Friday night in his return from injury. It may not be much. But for as long as he's out there, Minnesota's young rookies will have their hands full with one of the very best big men the NBA has to offer.

It's a 6:00 p.m. CT game in Philadelphia, streaming on NBA League Pass.

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