The Wolves will be on the clock for the #17 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Which prospects are most likely to be wearing a Timberwolves draft cap when Tim Connelly makes his pick?
Remember when Timberwolves draft night was like Christmas morning for a franchise trapped in Groundhog Day?
We’d gather around our TVs in June, desperately clinging to hope as David Kahn used a lottery pick on yet another point guard we didn’t need, praying this one would finally break the curse. (Spoiler: They didn’t.)
Back then, draft night was the season. It was the main event, the sequel, the redemption arc, and the comedy all rolled into one. And if we were lucky, it didn’t end with a European big man we’d never hear from again or a future All-Star immediately traded for cash considerations.
But now? Now we’re a contender. We’ve been to back-to-back Western Conference Finals. We’ve got Anthony Edwards. We’ve got Jaden McDaniels. We’ve got Naz Reid.
So, yeah, the draft hasn’t exactly been top priority for Wolves fans lately. And it’s a good thing too, because our own picks have been traveling the globe like Carmen Sandiego thanks to the Rudy Gobert trade.
The KD Trade is Dead. Long Live the Draft.
With the Kevin Durant dream now officially six feet under, Wolves fans can stop refreshing trade machine screenshots and shift their attention to something more grounded:
The 2025 NBA Draft.
Specifically: Detroit’s Pick 17, which Minnesota landed in the Karl-Anthony Towns trade last fall. And honestly? That’s a nice spot. You’re not swinging for the fences here. You’re trying to find a guy who can give you 15–18 minutes in May and not get hunted off the floor in a playoff game.
A grown-up pick for a grown-up team.
And it matters now — because thanks to the new CBA, if you’re a high-salary team (which Minnesota is), adding cheap, competent, rotation-ready players is no longer optional. It’s oxygen.
So Who’s On the Radar at 17?
Thomas Sorber, C, Georgetown
Big body. Big wingspan. Kind of a more coordinated Rudy Gobert, which, let’s be honest, is something we’ve all quietly fantasized about since the Western Conference Finals.
Sorber’s got soft hands, passing instincts, and a degree of finesse. And given the uncertainty of the Randle and Reid player options and the unpredictability of Rudy’s back, you could do a lot worse.
FanDuel has him at –320 to be a top-20 pick, which means that Sorber may not be around when the Wolves come calling at #17.
Danny Wolf, F, Michigan
The appropriately-named Wolf’s is 21. He’s NBA-ready-ish, and could potentially step in an contribute right away, similar to Terrence Shannon Jr. last year.
Also, FanDuel has him at +120 to be a top-20 pick. If the Wolves pull the trigger, that line might be stealing.
Nique Clifford, G, Colorado State
Five-year guy. Super switchy defender. Can shoot. Can rebound. Basically, the insurance policy for Nickeil Alexander-Walker if NAW walks in free agency — and a guy you could throw into the Wolves’ “Let’s defend like maniacs for eight straight minutes” unit without blinking.
He’s 23, which is either a red flag (to draft Twitter) or a green light (to actual NBA teams that don’t have three years to babysit).
FanDuel also has Nique as +120 to be a top-20 pick. Hmm…
Nolan Traore, G, France
The Rudy Gobert French Connection lives on.
Traore can shoot, he can pass, and he’s slippery in the pick-and-roll. Mike Conley isn’t getting younger — he’s like the NBA’s version of your dad’s ‘99 Toyota Camry: still running fine, but maybe time to shop for a replacement before the wheels fall off in February.
Traore might not be ready right away, but if the Wolves want to slow-play his development (see: Rob Dillingham last year), this could work.
FanDuel has the young Frenchman at -105 to be a top-20 pick tomorrow night.
Final Thought: In Tim We Trust?
Let’s be real — the draft is a crapshoot after pick 10. But for the Wolves, pick 17 matters. This team doesn’t have cap space. It doesn’t have future picks to play with. It needs to hit singles in the draft, especially with Ant’s supermax kicking in.
So whether it’s Sorber, Wolf, Clifford, Traore, or some mystery man who pops up like a surprise character on an old Lost episode, just know this:
This pick — weirdly, quietly — is going to shape Minnesota’s next era.
It’s no KD. But it might be something even more important:
A guy who actually fits.
And if you want to make it even more fun?
Log into FanDuel, throw a dart at the board, and enjoy the chaos.
After all, this is Timberwolves draft night — tradition never dies.