Minnesota Timberwolves: Can Andrew Wiggins deliver on the hype

Minnesota Timberwolves fan’s have seen Andrew Wiggins almost connect on a 720 dunk. The athleticism is there, but will Wiggins deliver for coach Thibs.

ndrew Wiggins path to the Minnesota Timberwolves has been well documented. Cast-off by the team that drafted him, the Wolves were happy to obtain his services.

The former No. 1 overall pick was traded to Minnesota in exchange for Kevin Love. Love got his title with the Cleveland Cavaliers, but will Wiggins have the last laugh.

Drake, Michael J. Fox, Justin Bieber, all famous Canadians, and Mr. Wiggins has the opportunity to add his name to that list.

The hype surrounding the Minnesota Timberwolves heading into the 2016-17 season has never been louder. There is reason for Minnesotan’s to visit Target Center this winter, and it’s not just for the easy downtown parking this year.

The Wolves are building a winner, and the personnel might be in place for this squad to be great for years to come.

Most of the excitement has centered around Karl-Anthony Towns, but Towns’ arrival should make Wiggins even better.

The Wolfies looked lost at times under Sam Mitchell, but there is a new sheriff in town. The hiring of Tom Thibodeau was a sign that this organization was finally trying to become relevant. Wiggins and his fellow teammates will be pushed like never before, but will he deliver for Thibs?

The knock on Wiggins coming out of high school was his work ethic, the Canadian basketball program in general has been criticized for not pushing their talent harder. Wiggins was stellar in his rookie season, averaging almost 17 points per game, and winning the Rookie of the Year title.

People expected a little more in his sophomore campaign, and he delivered- sort of. His scoring average increased, but was that due to the amount of shots he took? Volume shooters will always have a hefty scoring average, but it is overrated.

It’s the little things that you do in every sport that make you a great player. Wiggins will have some work to do under Thibs. Andrew’s FT% was a paltry .761 last season, the same as his rookie year. It’s obvious Wiggins needs to improve his game behind the free throw line. Being a freakish athlete will get you to the foul line consistently in the NBA, and Wiggins needs to make those shots at a higher percentage than 76.1 percent of the time.

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Another sore spot is Wiggins rebounding ability. His numbers actually went down from his rookie year, from 4.6 TRB to 3.6. Giving maximum effort, even on a losing team, should be expected from a leader. Wiggins fell short of that for the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The good news is the entire world knows what coach Thibs can do for a team’s lack of effort. His booming voice and intensity might be a wake up call for Andrew. Coach Thibodeau will ask for your best on both sides of the court, and Wiggins will have no choice but to compete on a daily basis.

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It is time that these young wolves step up and make a place for themselves among the NBA’s elite for years to come. There will be no place to hide in 2016-17, the spotlight is on, perform Mr. Wiggins.