The FIBA Basketball World Cup began Friday. Three countries are co-hosting the tournament: Indonesia, Japan, and the Philippines. In this span of international competition, the Minnesota Timberwolves will be widely represented across six different teams. Some may see international basketball participation as a hindrance to Minnesota’s development as a collective this season. However, this experience can work to improve their chances of being an upper-echelon organization for years to come.
Anthony Edwards, Rudy Gobert, Karl-Anthony Towns, Kyle Anderson, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and Matteo Spagnolo will put their games on display over these next three weeks. They will each be representing different countries and should have to play a crucial role for their team to advance. For those unfamiliar with Spagnolo, he’s the Timberwolves second-round draft pick in 2022. He has yet to play for the organization outside of Summer League. He’ll be representing Italy in the tournament.
Last year, Gobert represented France at EuroBasket 2022. Before the tournament, Gobert had just finished another All-Star season, and Minnesota’s trade for him garnered a lot of attention. With Gobert’s services, France ended up going all the way to the championship game before losing to Spain. Since his time in Utah, Gobert has taken pride in representing France in international competitions. The 31-year-old was drafted out of France in the 2013 NBA Draft.
Some believe that Gobert’s involvement with France at last year’s EuroBasket hindered his integration into Chris Finch’s system last season. He wasn’t as dominant defensively and failed to develop a viable connection with then-point guard D’Angelo Russell. To make matters worse, Towns suffered a calf injury early in the season, forcing him to miss over 50 games. While he eventually rekindled a strong connection with Mike Conley, Gobert had numerous factors working against him for large parts of last season.
Ultimately, there are plenty of positives to take away from NBA players playing international basketball. An example I love to bring up is how the Splash Brothers, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, flourished at the FIBA World Cup in 2014. They were instrumental in the USA’s path to winning a gold medal. Who went on to win the NBA championship in 2014-15? None other than the Golden State Warriors. That’s not to say the same thing will happen with the Timberwolves, but it’s an indicator of how international basketball can help lead players to new heights in their careers.
Timberwolves fans have seen players decline the opportunity to represent their country in the past. Andrew Wiggins has rarely played for Canada since entering the NBA. Although he’s had his opportunities, Wiggins usually turned them down. The same can be said for Towns who, until this summer, hasn’t played for the Dominican Republic since high school.
Perhaps Wiggins and Towns have just been focusing on their NBA careers. But considering how it has helped young talent in the NBA with their development, who’s to say the same couldn’t have happened for two of the most talented rising stars in the league? It leaves me wondering where the Timberwolves would be if Wiggins and Towns took those opportunities. Maybe they could have reached another level of stardom and remained together in Minnesota.
The main concern with international basketball is the durability concern NBA organizations have concerning their players. In 2014, Paul George suffered a significant leg injury while representing the USA that summer. At the time, George was ascending as a young star in the NBA. However, the injury halted his progress. The Timberwolves made a tough decision ahead of the 2020 Summer Olympics. Because of injury risk, they blocked Juancho Hernangómez’s involvement in Spain’s squad. To no one’s surprise, Hernangómez was reportedly “angered” about the decision.
The Timberwolves not only have had six players playing internationally this summer but other players were involved in pre-FIBA activities. Naz Reid was selected to be a part of USA’s Select Team and trained with the first team during their preparations in Las Vegas. Additionally, Luka Garza represented Bosnia and Herzegovina during the qualifying stages for the World Cup.
Timeliness is another bonus the FIBA World Cup can bring the Timberwolves. In July, the NBA announced the introduction of the In-Season Tournament, a competition involving all 30 teams in a format typically seen in soccer tournaments worldwide. The FIBA World Cup experience should help prepare the Wolves for what to expect in November when the In-Season Tournament begins. Considering that Minnesota’s six FIBA representatives are key players on the roster, minus Spagnolo, the Wolves could come into the tournament with an advantage over some other teams.
With all that being said, the international basketball experience for these Wolves can be carried out into the regular season in a good way. Regardless of the injury concerns that come with international competition, this is something that could give the Timberwolves a newfound energy entering the season. In turn, that should bolster their chances of being competitive in the Western Conference come April.
