“I wanted to be the perfect player. I wanted to impress the coach and all this other stuff,” these are the words of a player, who the NBA world will witness rocking the court in a few days. On Friday evening, the LA Lakers took on the Minnesota Timberwolves in preseason Day 1. While LeBron James, AD, Anthony Edwards, and Julius Randle didn’t lace up for the clash, the rousing crowd had someone else keeping them on their feet. It was the Wolves’ hidden gem, Josh Minott, who recently caught Chris Finch’s attention.

The 21-year-old came off the bench and led the Wolves to a blowout 124-107 win, leading the game with the most points (22 points and 8 boards). It wasn’t just about Josh Minott’s ability to hit the gas pedal offensively, but his all-round performance.

The rising star brought out his athleticism with multiple dunks, crisp ball handling, and expansive shooting from the arc. He finished the game going 9 of 11 from the field which included his 4-6 haul from deep range in his 29-minute stay.

It was truly a surprise package for the fans, who expected outbursts from other stars like D’Lo, Naz Reid, Donte DiVincenzo, and Austin Reaves. However, it was definitely not a surprise for the Wolves’ coach, Chris Finch. In fact, he exactly predicted the star’s outburst. During the Wolves’ Media Day, Finch surprised everyone with a far-reaching claim. He said, “Josh Minott has had an incredible summer… He has probably been one of our best players in the last 6 weeks here in the gym, watching us play.”

On one hand, it’s clear that Chris Finch has made a fair judgment, meanwhile, on the other hand, it’s surprising to know that Josh Minott went under the radar for two seasons! Yes, the rising star came into the Wolves’ roster via the 2022 NBA Draft as the 46th pick.

How did Josh Minott redefine his hoops game this summer?

After a passable freshman year with the Memphis Tigers, averaging 6.6 points in his 33 outings, he declared for the NBA draft. The Charlotte Hornets drafted him with the 45th pick and later exchanged him with the Wolves for the draft rights for 40th pick.

In the rookie season, he made a 15-game appearance, doing the garbage minutes at an average of 6.4 minutes, and finished the season with 3.1 points per game. In the sophomore year, things went further down, as he recorded only 1.6 points in 32 appearances. Cut to 2024 preseason, Minott not only produced a 22-point game but also won the coach’s trust. What happened in the 2024 off-season?

Well, the player definitely seemed to have a mindset shift. Speaking in an interview with Twin Cities, the hooper said, “Coming into the league, I was scared of messing up, scared of making mistake.” 

Something has seriously clicked in the summer, as Josh Minott also added an adamant claim in the same breath, “I feel like any time the ball leaves my hands from beyond the arc, it’s going in.” If you really want to know what went through the young hooper’s head, it’s simple, you just have stop stressing. That’s what the rising star himself said.

“Just stop putting so much stress on myself, and not only is it healthier for my mental… but I’m actually getting better at the game of basketball by not caring so much in terms of stressing,” Josh Minott said, dropping a dime to the future baller.

Do you think the 21-year-old will find a spot in the rotation? Let us know in the comments.

Before leaving, do watch the Dual Threat Show hosted by BG12 where Bulldogs’ Asia Avinger details her experience with Kobe Bryant, her WNBA ROTY picks, and more in the video below.