Timberwolves NBA Draft Preview: Picks, Prospects to Know, How to Watch

Who will the Wolves select in the first round on Tuesday night?

Jun 25, 2025; Brooklyn, NY, USA; General view after the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The 2026 NBA Draft begins on Tuesday night at Barclays Center in Brooklyn and wraps up on Wednesday. Here's everything Timberwolves fans need to know.

Start time and TV info

The first round begins at 7 p.m. central time on Tuesday, June 23rd. It'll be televised on ESPN and ABC. Round two (picks 31-60) begins at 7 central on Wedneday and will be on ESPN.

Timberwolves picks

The Wolves have the No. 28 overall pick in the first round this year. If they stay put and make that pick, it'll likely happen sometime around 10 p.m. central time or a bit later. Last year, the Celtics selected Hugo Gonzales with pick 28 at around 10:20 CT. The other No. 28 picks this decade are Ryan Dunn, Brice Sensabaugh, Patrick Baldwin Jr., Jaden Springer, and of course, Jaden McDaniels in 2020.

Minnesota would've had pick 21 based on where it finished in the standings, but they swapped with the Pistons as part of a February three-team trade involving Mike Conley (the main purpose of which was to create luxury tax savings for the Wolves).

On Wednesday night, the Wolves have the 59th pick towards the very end of the second round. That one won't come until late in the evening either.

Prospect names to know

Much of the reporting and speculation around the Wolves' plans in this draft has suggested that they're looking to add to their backcourt. That makes sense, as they could use more playmaking and shooting next to Anthony Edwards at the guard position.

If the Wolves stay at 28, some of the names that could make sense include Arkansas's Meleek Thomas, Duke's Isaiah Evans, Stanford's Ebuka Okorie, and Spain's Sergio De Larrea.

But Tim Connelly might not stay put at 28. The Wolves could look to trade up for someone like Alabama guard Labaron Philon, who they hosted for a pre-draft workout this week. Texas Tech's Christian Anderson, Baylor's Cameron Carr, and Iowa's Bennett Stirtz could also be possible trade-up targets in the late teens or early 20s.

The other possibility would be to trade back from 28 and perhaps target De Larrea or a different guard/shooter (maybe someone like BYU's Richie Saunders or Houston's Emanuel Sharp) in the early second round.

And while all of the players mentioned above are guards, Connelly could certainly take a wing or a forward or even another big man. Anything is on the table, including the possibility of a big draft-night trade involving established NBA players.

It doesn't even feel worth trying to predict who the Wolves might take with pick 59 on Wednesday.