Rashad McCants isn’t there yet but the Timberwolves are projecting their 2005 No. 1 draft choice will become a prolific scorer. Along with Ricky Davis and Kevin Garnett, he is the player with the potential to score a lot of points in a short time during a game.
That sort of “instant offense” is a Wolves deficiency. The future might look like this for McCants: first guy off the bench, contribute 10 to 20 points per night. That’s good tonic for this team. Look no further than Tuesday night to see the Wolves’ need. Minnesota scored only eight points in the second quarter, a period when a quality sixth man can make a difference. The Wolves’ were so dismal offensively Tuesday against Dallas they shot a franchise record low of 29.6 percent for the game in a 81-65 loss at Target Center. The 65 points was the second lowest in team history.
McCants isn’t ready to contribute much right now. He’s played in only 13 games since coming back from a career threatening injury to his right knee that required microfracture surgery last June. The results so far reflect the long layoff (missed 44 games). He’s averaging 4.2 points per game and making about 33 percent of his shots. In his last three games he’s four of 17 on field goals and has scored 11 points.
McCants has talked about removing the “rust” from his game and the Wolves will wait for better days. He is only 22 years old and management likes the maturity he showed in working to rehabilitate his knee. They also like his explosive offensive skills, including drives to the basket and effective mid-range and long- range shooting.
In his rookie season he averaged 7.9 points per game and shot 37.2 percent on three point field goals, a team record for a first-year player. He closed fast, starting 12 of the team’s final 15 games, averaging 14.9 points in the games he started.
At North Carolina he averaged 20 points per game as a sophomore to lead the ACC in scoring. During his three year career he averaged 17.6 points per game with a field goal percentage of 48.6. His junior season the Tar Heels won the national championship.
One of McCants’ teammates at North Carolina was Raymond Felton, now the point guard for the Charlotte Bobcats. Felton was asked about his former teammate. They have known each other since both were in high school.
“He has a lot of potential,” Felton said. “Unfortunately, he got a bad injury and he had to sit out for awhile. . .. He can score, he can defend, (and) he’s strong. You know, he’s not really as tall as he should be for a two-guard but his strength, athletic ability and his scoring ability make up for all that.”
The heights of NBA players often appear exaggerated. McCants is listed at 6-foot-4 but seems shorter. He isn’t as tall as other two guards, or shooting guards as they are also called. While defense wasn’t why the Wolves drafted McCants, he has the ability to be effective.
Can McCants become an NBA all-star? “I think he can,” Felton said. “No question.”