The Minnesota Timberwolves have had an injury-plagued season. They’ve seen injuries from General Soreness, Andrew Wiggins, Robert Covington, Tyus Jones, Jeff Teague and Derrick Rose. The team can’t catch a break, but there’s a hidden gem that deserves playing time and that guy is Keita Bates-Diop.
Bates-Diop was a first-round-worthy player but because he wasn’t that one-and-done prototypical player, it caused him to slip a little farther down in the draft. NBA teams value young talent with potential and he entered the draft at 22 years of age — still young by all means, but not that 18- or 19-year-old sweet spot teams love.