Love, Brewer, ex-Gophers and D-Leaguers set for Wolves summer league team
Posted on July 3rd, 2008 – 5:04 PMBy Jerry Zgoda
Former Gophers Vincent Grier and Dan Coleman will join Wolves regulars Corey Brewer, Chris Richard and new first-round pick Kevin Love on the Timberwolves’ summer-league team that will play five games in Las Vegas this month.
Four players the Wolves brought in for pre-draft workouts — Coleman, Oklahoma forward Longar Longer, Michigan State guard Drew Neitzel and Oregon guard Bryce Taylor — but who were not selected in the June 26 NBA draft also are on the roster.
Here’s a quick look at the team as of today (subject to change):
Guards
Bruce Ahearn, 6-2, Missouri State, one year NBA experience
Played 12 games with Miami (5.8 points, 1.6 rebounds and assists) at the end of last season after starting the year with the D League’s Dakota Wizards, where he averaged 19 points, 3.5 assists and was named the league’s Rookie of the Year while playing 41 games. Set the NCAA record for career free-throw percentage with 94.6 percent (435 of 460).
Drew Neitzel, 6-0, Michigan State, NBA rookie
Four year starter at Michigan State and school’s all-time leader in free-throw shooting percentage (86.6 percent). Tenth in Big Ten history in assists, with 582. Named Big Ten first team his junior and senior seasons.
Pooh Jeter, 5-11, Portland, NBA rookiePlayed for Sacramento’s summer-league team in 2006 and 2007 and spent 2006-2007 season with D League’s Colorado 14ers. Played last season in Ukraine, wherehe averaged 12.3 points, 2.5 rebounds and 3 assists. University of Portland’s all-time leading scorer.
Vincent Grier, 6-5, Minnesota, NBA rookie
Played six preseason games with Miami in 2006, but waived before the season’s start. Played 17 games that year with the D League’s Sioux Falls Sky Force, played the last season in the French ProA League, where he averaged 13 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 30 games.
Bryce Taylor, 6-5, Oregon NBA rookie
Four-year starter at Oregon who helped lead the Ducks to the Pac 10 tournament championship as a junior by going 11-for-11 from the field (including 7 for 7 in threes) in the title-game victory over USC.
Forwards
Kevin Love, 6-9, UCLA, NBA rookie
It’ll be interesting to see how the fifth pick overall — and the centerpiece of the team’s big midnight deal on draft night — fares with his team game in summer-league games where individualism often is the thing.
Corey Brewer, 6-9, Florida, 1 year experience
Was so very active in Las Vegas summer league a year ago, but his shooting woes there foreshadowed his NBA seasons. How his running the floor meshes with Love’s singular outlet-passing abilities could be telling.
Chris Richard, 6-9, Florida, 1 year NBA experience
A restricted free agent, his re-signing seems a foregone conclusion.
Longar Longar, 6-11, Oklahoma, NBA rookie
Former Rochester John Marshall High School player averaged 11.4 points and 5.6 rebounds in senior season at Oklahoma. Named to Big 12’s Most Improved team after his junior season.
Dan Coleman, 6-9, Minnesota, NBA rookie
Played 127 collegiate games, second most in school history, and averaged 10.4 points and 4.8 rebounds in four seasons with the Gophers. Not drafted by an NBA team last month.
Here’s the schedule
July 14 Dallas 9:00 p.m. *
July 16 L.A. Lakers 7:30 p.m.
July 17 Portland 9:00 p.m. *
July 19 Milwaukee 7:30 p.m.
July 20 New York 3:00 p.m. *
* Broadcast on NBA TV
Also on Thursday, former Wolf Gerald Green signed a one-year minimum contract with Dallas and Bob Ociepka, a Wolves assistant coach for the last two seasons, was named to new Chicago coach Vinny Del Negro’s staff.



