Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
The Minnesota Timberwolves got a steal by picking up Shabazz Muhammad with the No. 14 pick in the 2013 NBA Draft. Although his draft stock took a hit, he will not disappoint for the team.
Muhammad played one season at UCLA and it was a great one. He managed to score 17.9 points per game and grabbed 5.2 rebounds per game. It will be interesting to see how he fairs at the small forward position in the NBA, but he could be an elite scorer if he is given the proper minutes and the right role.
Muhammad’s talent cannot be denied. Sure, the Bruins were a disappointment this past season, but Muhammad was still a very effective player regardless.
Going from college to the pros is a big change, especially for a player that was one-and-done, but Muhammad has the talent to succeed at the next level.
He shot 44.3 percent from the field this past season and 37.7 percent from behind the arc. Those numbers are not bad by anyone’s standards.
Kevin Love playing a full season will be huge for this team. Minnesota is coming off of a season where it finished 31-51. If everyone is healthy and if players like Muhammad can have an instant impact, the Timberwolves could make some noise in the 2013-14 season.
Whether the case, Muhammad was a great pickup, despite falling to the No. 14 pick and he will not disappoint in Minnesota. At the same time, this is a team that did finish in last place in the Northwest standings, so this team will definitely have to improve if it even wants to think about making the playoffs.
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