MINNEAPOLIS, MINN.—In one of the darkest seasons in Minnesota Timberwolves history, one of the few bright spots has been the play of Vaughan native Andrew Wiggins.

Wiggins, the No. 1 overall pick in last summer’s NBA draft, has propelled himself into the top tier of rookie-of-the-year candidates. He i’s averaging 16.2 points and 4.4 rebounds per game, in more than 35 minutes a night of playing time.

That’s the kind of playing time usually granted to a veteran star, not a rookie, no matter how highly touted. It’s an opportunity he wouldn’t have gotten on a better team, and he knows it.

“It’s been good for me. A chance for me to really learn and experience different things, put me in different positions. I think it will benefit me next year,” said Wiggins.

Heading into Wednesday night’s game against the Toronto Raptors, the Timberwolves were dead last in the NBA Western Conference, with a 16-58 record.

An already middling roster has been hit hard by a series of injuries. No fewer than seven Timberwolves were on the injured list ahead of Tuesday’s game, including veteran Kevin Garnett, picked up from the Brooklyn Nets in a deadline deal.

Two players—forward Shabazz Muhammad and centre Nikola Pekovic – are gone for the season.

It is a far different scenario than Wiggins would have faced if he were still with the Cleveland Cavaliers. After making Wiggins the top pick in the draft, the Cavs dealt Wiggins and fellow Canadian No. 1 Anthony Bennett to the Timberwolves as part of a blockbuster three-team August trade that saw Minnesota send all-star Kevin Love to Cleveland. Instead of being on a powerhouse team with Kyrie Irving and LeBron James, Wiggins is learning his craft on a squad deep in rebuilding mode.

He has impressed opponents, coaches, and potential rookie-of-the-year voters. He has also wowed his teammates, like veteran guard Kevin Martin. Getting thrown into the deep end isn’t something most rookies could handle. But for someone with Wiggins’ raw talent, it has been crucial, said Martin. It’s also been fun to watch.

“I think we all knew that for him to maximize his potential, he needed that trade back in August. He was going to play with a couple of guys where he would’ve probably never seen the ball. But for him to come here, especially with our injuries, he had to take on a lot of responsibilities, and it’s been a great sight to see,” said Martin.

In at least one sense, said Raptors coach Dwane Casey, the Timberwolves are in a better position to develop Wiggins because they are out of the playoff race, and weren’t really ever expected to contend this season.

“It’s much easier to develop a young player in a rebuilding situation . . . He’s gonna get his shots and his touches, to develop his game against other NBA players when the lights are on, you have NBA officials, that’s invaluable. It doesn’t always equate to wins. The most difficult thing is to develop and win at the same time,” said Casey.

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And as far as how he is holding up this deep into the grind of an 82-game season, Wiggins admits he’s feeling a bit of exhaustion.

“I feel like my body might be a little tired. But I feel like my mind’s a little stronger than my body.”

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