The Timberwolves have a huge draft steal and the rest of the NBA is about to find out

When the Minnesota Timberwolves drafted 18-year-old French center Joan Beringer with the No. 17 overall pick in June, it was unclear what to expect from him. Beringer’s upside as a mobile shot blocker and rim runner was undeniable. Still, playing behind Rudy Gobert on a competitive team limited his possible opportunities. Not to mention, Beringer didn’t start playing basketball until 2021.

As such, it was reasonable to expect Beringer to see little to no real minutes during his rookie season. And until recently, this seemed like how things would turn out for Beringer: He had spent the first 40 games of the season playing only bad minutes and in the G League.

However, last week, Rudy Gobert was suspended for a game against the Milwaukee Bucks, forcing Chris Finch to insert Beringer into the rotation. The rookie did not disappoint, scoring 13 points, five rebounds, two assists and a steal in 30 minutes.

Beringer played just six minutes during the Wolves’ next game. But during Sunday’s game against the San Antonio Spurs, Gobert was injured, and Naz Reid also suffered an injury midway through the game that kept him sidelined. Beringer stepped up again and scored ten points, eight rebounds, three assists and two blocks. Finch even trusted him enough to close out the game.

Joan Beringer is (already) making an impact

Without a doubt, Beringer shows that he is ahead of schedule and ready to contribute meaningful minutes to one of the best teams in the league. That should send a message to the entire league: Minnesota has made a huge draft-day steal.

Beringer’s play is even more impressive when you consider it came against Giannis Antetokounmpo and Victor Wembanyama.

Gobert is 33 and shows no signs of decline. Nevertheless, when he eventually starts to fade, the Wolves will have a clear successor for him. In the meantime, having two high-quality rim protectors is a clear advantage for the Wolves.

The Timberwolves have struggled with non-Rudy minutes all season. Notably, the Wolves are 15.3 points per 100 possessions better on defense with Gobert on the field, which is the most important on/off defensive swing in the league. Beringer offers a clear solution to this problem. The Wolves have a defensive rating of 112.8 with him on the field, which is better than their overall DRTG of 123.8 without Rudy.

It was always clear that Beringer had a huge advantage. However, I never expected him to be so good so fast, especially on offense, which was considered the weaker part of his game during the draft process. Beringer’s positioning, hustle, athleticism and hands really stood out. Defensively, it performs even better than advertised, making an immediate impact as a interchangeable rim protector. Impressively, he allows 44.5 percent of opponents to shoot within six feet of the hoop.

Sure, he needs to work on offense and one-on-one defense, but for a rookie playing his first real minutes, you can’t ask for much more.

Ultimately, Beringer’s first real minutes have not only shown his upside, but also proven that he can play now and that Wolves have found an absolute gem. He was seen as a raw but high upside prospect. So I have to wonder, what will it look like on its ceiling?