The emergence of the man known as “Vando” has been one of the many bright spots for Minnesota this season.
When the Minnesota Timberwolves acquired Jarred Vanderbilt a few years ago, he was widely viewed as a “throw in” or “salary filler.” However, the former McDonald’s All-American entered this season as almost an unknown entity with only 92 career games played, and he doesn’t turn 23 until April.
Timberwolves’ fans were irrationally excited about Vanderbilt’s potential and what he showed in 64 games in the 2020-21 season. However, the rest of the league was obviously skeptical as the Timberwolves were able to resign Vanderbilt for a three-year deal worth a total of $13,122,000, a value that is far below his current production.