The Minnesota Timberwolves took a chance on Joan Beringer in the NBA Draft. It may be a smart move.
The NBA Draft is difficult to get right, and there is even more room for error when it comes to overseas prospects.
The big story of the 2025 Draft was the Portland Trail Blazers taking Chinese prospect Yang Hansen at pick number 16.
This surprise move allowed the Minnesota Timberwolves to take French talent Joan Beringer with the 17th pick.
Beringer has since had impressive reviews from teammates in practice, and he has just played his first NBA Summer League game.
The Minnesota Timberwolves beat the New Orleans Pelicans 98-91 to kick off both teams’ Summer League efforts.
There were notable rookies on both sides. Jeremiah Fears scored 14 points, although he was an erratic 4 for 12 shooting.
Derik Queen posted a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Former Golden State Warriors prospect Lester Quinones scored 20 points.
For the Timberwolves, Terrence Shannon Jr and Leonard Miller both scored 20 points each to lead the team’s win.
Joan Beringer scored a solid 11 points, but the real story was his impressive seven blocks in addition to his eight rebounds.
For context, on the Pelicans, not a single player executed a single block all game. Beringer had seven.
Joan Beringer’s big performance caused a real buzz among fans, recognizing that the Timberwolves have drafted a serious talent.
One fan wrote: “His footwork is already NBA-level. If he can maintain this intensity through a full season, Wolves might have found their missing piece.”
A second added: “Not much more you could’ve wanted Joan Beringer to show in his summer league debut.”
And a third wrote: “Summer league is always full of overreactions. But Joan Beringer looks like he’s ahead of schedule.”
“Joan Beringer is the Michael Jordan of Derrick Livelys,” a fourth fan wrote.
“Only 1,087 more days until Joan Beringer can officially sign his max rookie extension,” another posted optimistically.
And a sixth added: “the Joan Beringer experience is off to an incredibly fun start.”
It is just Summer League, and it is just one game, but Joan Beringer has made a big impression, and he is only 18-years-old.
The Timberwolves have reached the last two Western Conference Finals, and they needed something special to go a step further.
Perhaps they have just found it.
