This is the seventh in a 15-part series evaluating each Timberwolves player's performance during the 2014-15 season. Find the entire series here.
When asked to single out one particularly pleasurable moment during his rookie season, Timberwolves combo guard Zach LaVine could've gone with any of those gravity-defying dunks where his chin hangs above the rim for a second.
He could've said April 11, when he went off for 37 points at Golden State. Or Nov. 28, when against the Lakers and childhood idol Kobe Bryant, Zach LaVine scored 28.
His Toon Squad-homage and title at the Slam Dunk Contest and game-high-tying 22 points at the Rising Stars Challenge are closer to his actual answer. But in reality, LaVine, 20, is already taking a gander at the big picture -- the NBA's midseason showcase as a whole, and what it takes to glean return invites.
"All-Star weekend was just so fun, the whole thing. Being around all the superstars, all the actors, singers, rappers, all that type of stuff," LaVine said. "Really good experience, and that just makes me want to get to the real game."
Athletic, brimming with upside and admittedly brash, LaVine enjoys glitz and glamour. Coach and president Flip Saunders calls him "the city mouse" as opposed to quiet, cerebral rookie counterpart Andrew Wiggins, "the country mouse."
But with LaVine's lust for glory comes a hunger to earn it via his talents. Even as Minnesota sloughed to a 16-win finish, the youngster from the Seattle area inched closer and closer toward his long-term objectives.
"I know what I can do," LaVine said. "I know where I want to be in my career, my goals I want to set. So I'm ready to get the next season started already."
Scoring: B+
LaVine started one game at UCLA, then turned heads all around league circles when he declared for the NBA Draft after a single collegiate season. But Saunders saw the kid's reasoning. He could jump, he could slash, and he could someday be an elite, "home-run-type" scorer, Saunders said.
It took a little while, but the 13th overall pick didn't disappoint.
LaVine's 10.1 points per game (on 42.2 percent shooting, 34.1 percent from 3-point range) ranked fourth among rookies. He was particularly good when driving to the basket (54.7 percent within 10 feet of the hoop) and in catch-and-shoot situations (an effective field-goal percentage of 57.6).
LaVine's at his best when he can attack the rim. Playing more shooting guard than point guard down the stretch allowed him to average 18.7 points during the final month of the season.
"Any time you can be in the NBA -- no matter who you're playing for, who you're playing against -- you can go through a stretch where you can play 10 games, you can average 20 a game, that's impressive whether you're 19, 20, 25, 30 or 35," Saunders said. "Those are some things (LaVine) can use as a springboard for more success."
Distribution: C-
Saunders drafted LaVine thinking he could be developed into a combination guard who can score as well as he can facilitate. Part two, the less natural piece of that equation, is still a work in progress.
With Ricky Rubio missing most of the season with an ankle injury, LaVine soaked up much of the vacated point-guard minutes. He barely played the position in college, and, in some ways, it showed. LaVine's 2.5 turnovers per game tied for the most among any qualifying rookie (though part of it's the fact he played so much point guard; turnovers do happen), and he averaged just 3.6 assists per contest.
Despite his shortcomings, LaVine isn't only open to the idea of improving his point-guard acumen. He's heaven-set on it.
"I know I can play point guard," LaVine said. "Coming out of college, it was like, 'He can't dribble, he'll be in the D-League, can't do this, can't do that.' Making some of the critics just shut up is a satisfaction, but there's still people talking. That's what motivates you to get better in the offseason."
Defense: D+
Weighing 180 pounds at 6-foot-5, LaVine struggles to fight through screens. He also has yet to effectively use his supreme athleticism to keep up with NBA-level scorers.
LaVine averaged just 0.7 steals and 0.1 blocks per game this past season. Opponents shot 49.6 percent when he was defending them, including 40.5 percent on shots from more than 15 feet away from the basket. That means LaVine's too easy an out at this point in his career.
Overall: B-
LaVine also fielded a question toward the season's end about his all-rookie-team prospects. His response was predictable.
"I'm a cocky person, so I always think I should be there," LaVine said. "But that's up for the media to decide. I'm going to be fine with whatever it is, because I know I'll be in the gym working. I know where my career wants to be at."
That work includes adding muscle to his youthful, wiry frame. LaVine will split time between his Bothell, Wash., home -- where his dad, a former professional football player, has a gigantic home gym -- and Los Angeles, while traveling to Minnesota from time-to-time. LaVine says he's open to playing in the NBA Summer League for a second straight year and is set to return and back up Rubio and shooting guard Kevin Martin.
If he can build off the tail end of his rookie season, his place in the Wolves' youth-oriented rebuild appears solid.
Next: Gorgui Dieng
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