- 1989
- 1990
- 1994
- 2008
- 2014
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Minnesota Timberwolves Team Formation
NBA basketball returned to the Twin Cities in 1989 for the first time since the Minneapolis Lakers departed for Los Angeles in 1960. The NBA had granted one of its four new expansion teams on April 22, 1987 (the others being the Orlando Magic, Charlotte Hornets, and the Miami Heat) to original owners Marv Wolfenson and Harvey Ratner to begin ... -
Target Center Opens
The Timberwolves originally built and owned the Target Center arena in 1990 and the venue was managed by Ogden Entertainment. The City of Minneapolis purchased the arena in 1995. In 2004, Target Center underwent a major renovation that saw the replacement of all 19,006 of its original seats plus the addition of nearly 1,500 new seats as well as the ... -
Glen Taylor Ownership
Glen Taylor purchased majority ownership of the Minnesota Timberwolves basketball team in 1994. Taylor purchased the Minnesota Lynx WNBA basketball team in 1999. Taylor was in talks to buy the Minnesota Twins but nothing has come of it. In 2005, he was also rumored to be a possible buyer for the Minnesota Vikings but was outbid by Zygi Wilf. He ... -
Trade for Kevin Love
In a press conference on April 17, 2008, Love announced his intention to leave UCLA to enter the 2008 NBA draft. He was taken fifth overall by the Memphis Grizzlies, immediately after his teammate at UCLA, Russell Westbrook, who was selected by the Seattle SuperSonics. Following the draft, Love was traded, along with Mike Miller, Brian Cardinal, and Jason Collins ... -
Wiggins for Love
On August 23, 2014, the Timberwolves traded Love to the Cleveland Cavaliers in a three-team trade. The Timberwolves received Andrew Wiggins and Anthony Bennett from Cleveland, and Thaddeus Young from the Philadelphia 76ers, while the Philadelphia 76ers received Luc Mbah a Moute and Alexey Shved from Minnesota and a 2015 first-round draft pick from Cleveland.
History of the Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves are a professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The team was founded in 1989 and played in the Western National Basketball Association (NBA) Conference. Since its inception, they have been one of the most successful teams in NBA history. They have made nine playoff appearances, won six division titles, and even reached the Western Conference Finals once.
Throughout their history, some of the greatest players to ever play for them include Kevin Garnett, Stephon Marbury, and Latrell Sprewell, who were all critical members during their run to reach conference finals back in 2004 before eventually losing out to eventual champions Los Angeles Lakers 4-2 series loss. In recent years, however, since KG departed from the Wolves roster after the 2007 season, they haven't succeeded in reaching playoffs. Still, with new coach Ryan Saunders at the helm along with a young core consisting of Karl Anthony Towns, Andrew Wiggins, Jeff Teague, etc., there has been renewed optimism amongst fans that this might be the year when Wolves make it back into playoffs after missing out on last 10 seasons.
In addition to great players throughout its history, many iconic moments also took place while playing for or against this franchise, such as Kobe Bryant’s 81-point game against Timberwolves, which remains the second-highest scoring performance by any player to date, or Ricky Rubio’s behind-the-back pass that went viral overnight on social media platforms like Twitter & Instagram. All these events indeed show how passionate the fan base is about this franchise despite not having much success over the past decade & hopefully, someday soon, we will see them break through & win a championship title that would cement the legacy created by those legendary players from previous eras!
Established
1989
City
Minneapolis
League History
1989 - Present / National Basketball Association
Team History
1989 – Present / Minnesota Timberwolves
Nickname
Timberwolves – The Minnesota Timberwolves are one of the most beloved teams in the NBA, and their nickname is steeped in history. The team was established as an expansion franchise in 1989, and they chose their name to honor the state’s rich Native American heritage.
The term “timberwolves” has been used for centuries to describe a pack of wild wolves that inhabit northern forests. Wolves have long been a symbol of strength and power throughout North America, so it makes sense that Minnesota chose this moniker for its basketball team. It also serves as a reminder that even though we may be living modern lives today, our connection with nature remains strong—just like those Timberwolves running through the woods!
In addition to honoring Native American culture, there is another interesting story behind why this particular animal was chosen as part of the franchise’s identity: according to legend, when George Mikan first moved from Minneapolis (where he played college basketball) back home to his native Wisconsin during World War II; he saw packs of wolves roaming around near his family's farmhouse late at night - inspiring him with awe-inspiring scenes which remain fresh on his mind all these years later! So when it came time for him (as part owner) & other investors who wanted something unique & powerful enough to represent their new professional sports organization, they decided upon using 'Timberwolves' as its official mascot/nickname - thus giving birth to one most recognizable names within entire National Basketball Association!
Championship
NBA Championships 0
Arena
1990 – Present / Target Center
1989 – 1990 / Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
Owner
1994 – Present / Glen Taylor
1989 – 1994 / Marv Wolfenson and Harvey Ratner
To qualify as the greatest player for this team, the player must have played one season for this team. If not, we will remove the player.
* verifies that player has played for this team as an added player by a fan.
Retired Number
2 / Malik Sealy
*Blue is this team’s history