The Timberwolves have used their first-round pick at No. 17 overall to draft center Joan Beringer.
One of the top international players in this year’s draft class, Beringer had been playing for Cedevita Olimpija in Slovenia, where he averaged 4.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks in 18.3 minutes per game in 30 outings in the ABA League this past season.
The young Frenchman, who will turn 19 in November, has only played basketball for four years and is still learning the game, notes ESPN’s Jonathan Givony, who adds that Beringer possesses “outstanding” physical tools, including the coveted combination of defensive mobility and rim-protecting ability.
Beringer will have time to develop in Minnesota playing behind Rudy Gobert and Naz Reid, assuming the Wolves are able to retain the latter in free agency. They project to have plenty of front court depth, so Beringer won’t have to make an immediate impact for a team that has been to the Western Conference Finals in back-to-back years.
Beringer is still growing, according to Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo of ESPN, who report that he measured a half-inch taller when he attended the NBA’s European combine last week. He was already an elite shot blocker for his Slovenian team, and he could develop into an eventual replacement for Gobert.
Beringer was one of the most well-traveled players during the pre-draft process. He reportedly had workouts in Chicago, Brooklyn, San Antonio, Atlanta, Memphis and Houston as well as Minnesota.
Hi Joan.
T-Wolves love those French centers.
I was low-key hoping this guy would fall to the Hawks at 23. He’s not as big as Rudy but I could def see him having a Rudy type impact on defense & it’s sorta perfect that he gets to learn from the man himself.
Great pick for the Minnesota Timberwolves and Rudy Gobert is the perfect teammate that Joan Beringer can learn from.