MINNEAPOLIS — Zach LaVine has gone from slam dunk champion to starting shooting guard for the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Interim coach Sam Mitchell named LaVine the starter Wednesday, before the Wolves had even played a preseason game. The Wolves opened the preseason on Wednesday night against the Oklahoma City Thunder, but Mitchell said he was making the decision now with an eye toward the long-term health of the franchise, not the immediate future.
"It's not necessarily about earning (the spot)," Mitchell said, "it's about where you are as an organization and where you're trying to go."
The 20-year-old LaVine is entering his second season in the league.