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Tom Thibodeau gonna Tom Thibodeau, even in Summer League

By Jeremy Lambert

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - APRIL 23: Tom Thibodeau of the Minnesota Timberwolves talks to the media after the game against the Houston Rockets in Game Four of Round One of the 2018 NBA Playoffs on April 23, 2018 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - APRIL 23: Tom Thibodeau of the Minnesota Timberwolves talks to the media after the game against the Houston Rockets in Game Four of Round One of the 2018 NBA Playoffs on April 23, 2018 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Tom Thibodeau never stops being Tom Thibodeau. And that’s bad news for the Minnesota Timberwolves Summer League team hoping to enjoy Vegas.

Ah Summer League. A time when young players get acclimated to the league, new teammates, the organization, the system, and poor officiating. Boston players are already raving about Brad Stevens. Lakers players are wondering when they’re going to get traded for Kawhi Leonard. And Timberwolves players are sitting in the ice bath after playing 48 minutes in a 40 minute game.

Keita Bates-Diop and Josh Okogie are two young Minnesota players hoping to crack Tom Thibodeau’s tight rotation come the regular season. Both players were selected at the 2018 NBA Draft with Okogie going in the first round (No. 20) and Bates-Diop going in the second (No. 48).

In order to prepare for future life with Thibodeau, they’ve each logged big minutes during Summer League.

Bates-Diop leads all players in minutes-per-game, logging 33.8 minutes in four games. Okogie is fourth with 32.5 minutes-per-game.

Being at the top of the minutes leaderboard is nothing new for Thibodeau coached players. Last season, Jimmy Butler, Andrew Wiggins, and Karl-Anthony Towns were the only set of three teammates to be in the top 15 in minutes played. Butler was second (36.7 minutes), Wiggins was ninth (36.3 minutes), and Towns was 13th (35.6 minutes). Only the Clippers had three teammates in the top 40 and none of them were higher than No. 25. Taj Gibson (33.3 minutes) and Jeff Teague (33 minutes) were 32 and 36 respectively. Yes, the entire Timberwolves starting five finished in the top 40 in minutes.

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In fairness to Thibodeau, the Summer League squad hasn’t reached that point. Yet. Chicago’s Summer League team has three players in the top 15 in minutes. Minnesota has some catching up to do if they want to surpass Thibs’ old team. Somewhere, Thibodeau is reading this and saying, “Challenge accepted.”

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