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Wesley Johnson, 6-7, SG/SF,
Minnesota Timberwolves
9.5 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.5 turnovers, 46%
FG, 68% FT, 40% 3PT
David Kahn and the Minnesota Timberwolves rolled the dice in picking the 23-year-old late blooming Wesley Johnson with the 4th pick in the
2010 NBA Draft, especially with other younger and seemingly more talented prospects on the board.
While most expected Johnson to be one of the most
NBA-ready players in the draft, able to contribute in a versatile Josh Smith/Shawn Marion combo-forward type role, things have headed in a different direction for Johnson in his first 33 games, and it doesn't appear that it's for the better.
Outlook:
While it's still just 33 games into his career and it's unfair to just dismiss his above average contributions as a perimeter shooter, the fact still remains that Johnson is already 23 years old and was taken fourth overall in the draft, meaning expectations were significantly higher for him initially. The way Johnson is being utilized is certainly peculiar given his versatile skill set, but it is worth noting that he showed similar problems settling into a one-dimensional role his
sophomore year at
Iowa State. This makes it difficult to separate whether his current problems are primarily his own or a result of coaching decisions, but it's most likely a good amount of both.
Regardless, it is still quite possible that Johnson expands his game as he grows more comfortable in the NBA and his coaching and teammate situation evolves, as playing on one of the worst teams in the league certainly can't be helping any. The fact that all of the lottery players drafted after him this year have likewise struggled initially also makes his performance less disappointing, but at his age and given what he showed at
Syracuse, he is certainly leaving many observers expecting more.
Nicolas Batum at Eurobasket 2011. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
