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Believe it or Not Minnesota Basketball Fans – The Glass is Half Full!

By Roger Johnson

As Minnesota basketball fans we have suffered a lot of heartaches over the years, including record losing streaks, playoff droughts, questionable coaching hires, academic scandals, critical injuries and controversial calls/no calls. It’s only natural that we tend to approach everything with a fair amount of skepticism and a “Glass is Half Empty” mindset but with the 2025-26 basketball season in the books (save for the NBA playoffs and the WNBA season that just started), we have a lot to be grateful for. Here is my “Glass is Half Full” recap of another season of highlights and amazing accomplishments.

Wolves/Lynx

  • Streaking – not to be confused with the craze on college campuses and at sporting events in the early-to-mid 1970s, the Timberwolves streak of qualifying for the NBA playoffs has now reached 5 consecutive years. While this season’s team with its maddeningly inconsistent play may justify the frustration of the Glass Half Empty fans, it’s important to remember that the Wolves had just one playoff appearance in the previous 17 years. We are a long way from the dark days of the Kurt Rambis era.
  • No Joke: Wolves Eliminate Nuggets – despite losing its starting backcourt of Donte DiVincenzo and Anthony Edwards to injuries in Game 4 and playing without those two and key reserves Ayo Dosunmu and Kyle Anderson in Game 6, the Wolves managed to eliminate the Joker and the Denver Nuggets and advance to a Round 2 matchup with the San Antonio Spurs. Games 4 and 6 rank as two of the best playoff wins in franchise history (KG jumping on the scorers’ table after the Game 7 win over Sacramento in 2004 and the Wolves rallying from a 20-point second half deficit on the road to win game 7 against the Nuggets in 2024 are clearly the top 2). Rudy Gobert’s defense on the Joker was critical throughout the series, but Game 4 was highlighted by the dynamic 43-point performance by Dosunmu, the highest scoring playoff game by a reserve in 50 years. Game 6 belonged to Jaden McDaniels and TJ Shannon. McDaniels had one of the greatest two-way playoff performances in Wolves history – leading the team with 32 points and holding Nuggets star Jamal Murray to just 12 points on 4-17 shooting. Shannon who didn’t even play in the first three games of the series made his first career playoff start and scored 24 points, including a couple of resounding dunks that electrified the Target Center crowd.
  • Jaden Has a Future as a Scout – McDaniels might have gotten a head start on a future career as a scout with his spot-on analysis of the Nuggets after game 2. When asked what the key was to beating the Nuggets, he said, “Go after Jokic, Jamal, all the bad defenders, Tim Hardaway (Jr.), Cam Johnson, Aaron Gordon, the whole team, just go at them.”
  • Face of the League – this has become a popular topic among NBA pundits as LeBron James, Steph Curry, and Kevin Durant are nearing the end of their iconic careers. Who will be the new face of the league? First, who really cares? Is it really a thing? If it is, the clear choice is Anthony Edwards…Believe That! And here’s why: 1. Nationality – Ant is the premier American-born player in the NBA and as a practical matter (right or wrong), it’s not likely that a foreign player (including worthy candidates like SGA, the Joker, Luka, Giannis, and Wemby) will have the cache with the media and fans in a league based in the United States;   Entertainment Value – with his unmatched combination of athleticism and skill he is arguably the most entertaining player in the league and his highlights have become a Sports Center staple; 3. Team Success – Ant has led the Wolves to 5 consecutive playoff appearances, including back-to-back trips to the Western Conference Finals; 4. Individual Success – at just 24 years old, Ant is already a 4x All-Star, 2x All NBA, and an Olympic Gold Medalist. This season, despite nagging injuries, he finished 3rd in the NBA in scoring at nearly 29 ppg, was named MVP of the All-Star game, and was a finalist for the Clutch Player of the Year; 5. Marketability – Ant has more than $20 million in endorsement deals, the most notable being Sprite (I’m sure Anta Clause paid a visit to your house this past Christmas) and Adidas where his signature shoes have taken the sneaker market by storm. For good measure, he has also been featured in several Netflix documentaries/films and even did a commercial with Barack Obama to promote the opening of the Obama Presidential Library in Chicago this summer; 6. Personality/Charisma – he plays with a genuine joy for the game and always has a smile on his face. He is beloved by teammates and opponents alike. Ant is genuine and authentic which is a rarity among today’s NBA superstars, even though it might be in his best interests at times if he had more of a filter – he has racked up several fines for his NSFW language.
  • The Big Ticket is Back – the new ownership group of the Timberwolves, led by Alex Rodriquez and Marc Lore, have brought Wolves legend Kevin Garnett back into the organization. KG will serve as a Team Ambassador working on community initiatives, fan engagement and content development. And yes, finally his #21 jersey will be hoisted to the rafters of the Target Center during a game next season.
  • Freshest Jerseys in the League – this season the Wolves brought back two of the most iconic jerseys in the NBA: Classic Edition – Trees and City Edition – Prince Inspired Purple Rain.
  • Mr. Johnson Paints – no doubt you have seen the yard signs that have popped up all over the Twin Cities with portraits of prominent Timberwolves players like Anthony Edwards, Naz Reid, and Jaden McDaniels. These are the work of Adam Johnson, a local artist and Visual Arts Educator. Johnson is a Timberwolves season ticket holder who is using his artistic gifts and passion for the Wolves to provide fans with a fun, creative way to show their support for the team. He is worth a follow on Instagram @mrjohnsonpaints.
  • Pay Us What You Owe Us – the WNBA announced an historic 7-year collective bargaining agreement that will finally pay the league’s players salaries commensurate with the contributions they have made to the growth and popularity of the league. All players will receive significant salary increases with a $1.4 million max available to the league’s stars.
  • Superwoman – as the Lynx begin play this season, they will once again be led by one of the WNBA’s elite players, Napheesa Collier. SLAM Magazine aptly described Collier as Superwoman for her ability to juggle motherhood with highly successful basketball and business careers. Collier led the Lynx to the best record in the WNBA last season but suffered a season-ending injury during the semifinal round of the playoffs that derailed the team’s championship aspirations. Phee has finished runner-up to A’ja Wilson in voting for the WNBA’s MVP award each of the past two seasons. Hopefully this is the season that gets her to the podium with both an MVP award (to be fair, she was named MVP in the inaugural season of the Unrivaled league that she co-founded with Breanna Stewart) and the 5th championship in Lynx history.
  • I Can See Clearly Now – with the 2nd pick in the recent WNBA draft the Lynx selected TCU point guard Olivia Miles, who according to head coach Cheryl Reeve is the first real point guard the Lynx have had since Lindsay Whalen, with generational passing and playmaking skills. Can’t wait to see all the young hoopers donning her signature “Rec Spec Goggles” on courts all over the Twin Cities.

Division 1 College

  • Minnesota The State of Basketball– Minnesota has a growing reputation as a hotbed for high school hoops. This past year, nearly 200 Minnesota men and women competed at the Division 1 level, a quarter representing teams that qualified for the NCAA tournament. A headliner to note on the women’s side is Michigan’s Olivia Olson (Benilde St. Margaret’s) who earned All-American honors as a sophomore and should be destined for a future in the WNBA; on the men’s side is Eden Prairie native Cam Carr of Baylor who earned All-Big 12 honors before declaring for the upcoming NBA draft, where he is a potential lottery pick. Cam is the son of Hoop Habits very own Chris Carr.
  • One Shining Moment – both the Men’s (Michigan) and Women’s (UCLA) national championship teams this season featured Minnesota talent – Will Tschetter of Stewartville and Gianna Kneepkens of Duluth Marshall. In fact, this is the 3rd consecutive year that a Minnesotan has helped lead their team to the women’s title – Tessa Johnson (STMA) of South Carolina in 2024 and Paige Bueckers (Hopkins) of UConn in 2025.
  • Barn Magic is Back – this year evoked memories of the past when sell-out crowds were the norm and Williams Arena was one of the most electric atmospheres in all of college basketball. The Gopher men went 13-4 at the Barn and saw ever increasing crowds that were rewarded with upset wins over 3 nationally ranked teams – Indiana, Iowa, and Michigan State. The Barn Yard student section once again led the way in court storming celebrations. The Minnesota women were selected as one of 16 teams to serve as hosts for the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament and ranked 5th in attendance at nearly 11,000 spectators per game. And the home team delivered one of the most magical moments in Williams Arena history when Amaya Battle nailed a buzzer-beating baseline jumper against Ole Miss to send the Gophers into the Sweet 16. This sent the partisan crowd into an absolute frenzy.
  • How Sweet it Is – the Gopher women continued their steady climb under head coach Dawn Plitzuweit, winning 20 games or more for the 3rd consecutive season. They followed up last year’s WBIT title with the program’s first NCAA tournament berth since 2018. Minnesota opened tournament play with a come from behind win over UW-Green Bay and then Battle’s heroics propelled them to the Sweet 16, where they lost to eventual national champion, UCLA. And the Gophers are positioned for even more success in the future as Plitzuweit and her staff absolutely crushed it in the Portal – not only were they able to retain their top 3 scorers (McKinney, Grocholski, and Braun), they added three impact transfers in 5’6 point guard Leah Harmon who was the leading scorer for UCF last season at nearly 16 ppg, 6’6 center Gracie Merkle who averaged 19.2 ppg and 8.2 rpg for Penn State, and 6’3 post player Tayla Thomas who was Northwestern’s leading rebounder last year at 7.2 per game, while averaging nearly 10 ppg.
  • Who Says You Can’t Go Home – Niko Medved was thrilled to return to coach his hometown Gophers. He grew up in Roseville, attended Minnesota games with his family, graduated from the U, and started his collegiate basketball career as a student manager under Clem Haskins. In his first year at the helm, he clearly established himself as the right person to lead the program. Despite a roster depleted with injuries, the Gophers surprised most of the experts by upsetting three ranked teams and qualifying for post season play with an invitation to the College Basketball Crown held in Las Vegas. More importantly, Medved gave us a glimpse of what we can expect in the future – a hard-nosed, disciplined team with an offense built around shooting and precision ball/player movement – a thing of beauty for the basketball savants out there. In season one, Medved’s Gophers set a school record with 278 made 3-pointers and led the nation in assist percentage – assisting on 71% of their made field goals – talk about sharing the sugar.
  • A New Crib – the Lee & Penny Anderson Arena opened last fall and is the new world-class on-campus home for St. Thomas men’s and women’s basketball.
  • NIT Picked – while not the NCAA tournament berth they had hoped for, the Tommie men were selected for the NIT Tournament following their 3rd consecutive 20-win season.
  • Sinn-sational – Tommie women’s coach Ruth Sinn announced her retirement after more than 25 years with the program as both a player and coach. She helped guide St. Thomas in their transition to Division 1, following a record-setting coaching career at the D3 level. She led St. Thomas to three Final 4 appearances and an overall record of 355-88, including a remarkable 250-31 record from 2010-2021, the best 10-year winning percentage of any MIAC sports program, male or female.

Small College

  • D2 National Player of the Year – Minnesota State’s Natalie Bremer (Lake City) was named NABC D2 National Player of the Year. In addition, she has been named a finalist for the D2 Honda Athlete of the Year.
  • Miller Time – listed at just 5’1, UMC star Emma Miller (STMA) became the NSIC’s all-time leading scorer (conference games only) with1,692 points surpassing the previous mark of 1,615 set by UMD legend and new Bulldogs head coach, Brooke Olson.
  • Stat Sheet Stuffer – Augustana’s Tameron Ferguson (St. Cloud Tech) earned NABC D2 All-American honors after becoming the only player in the nation to average at least 20 ppg, 5 rpg, and 5 apg.
  • Moving On Up – after outstanding seasons at the D2 level several NSIC players entered the Transfer Portal and have secured D1 scholarships (and hopefully a little NIL money) – Tameron Ferguson (St. Cloud Tech): Augustana to Arkansas State, Luke Winkel: St. Cloud to UND, Kole Hanson (Holy Family): UMD to Holy Cross, Ben Kopetzki (Andover) Concordia-St. Paul to Appalachian State, Caden Hinker: Augustana to Lamar, Brogan Madson (Mankato East): Sioux Falls to St. Thomas, and Bergen Kinnebrew: UMary to UNLV.
  • A Block Party – Crown College junior Tyler Smith (Irondale) led D3 in three different statistical categories: Total Blocks – 113, Blocks Per Game – 3.65, and Triple Doubles – 2.
  • Hey Now You’re An All-Star– Concordia-Moorhead’s Jacob Cook (Ashby) and North Central’s Carrington McNeal (Twin Cities Academy) were among just 20 players nationally selected to play in the annual D3 All Star Game.
  • D3 All-Americans – Gustavus junior Guard Myles Barnette (Wayzata) led the Gusties to the Sweet 16 and a 27-3 record. Jacob Cook became just the second player in Cobber men’s program history to earn All-American honors. Maya Metcalf of Concordia-Moorhead led her team to the Elite 8 and a top 10 national ranking.
  • Coach “Koz” – St. Olaf’s Dan Kosmoski announced his retirement following 32-years as coach of the Oles, the 3rd longest tenure in MIAC history. With nearly 400 wins he is the winningest coach in school history. Kosmoski’s roots and connections to Minnesota basketball run deep – prior to St. Olaf he was an assistant coach for the Gophers under Jim Dutcher, Jimmy Williams, and Clem Haskins. Before that he was an assistant at Golden Valley Lutheran College, including a stint under the late Flip Saunders.
  • Cutting Down the Nets – led by National Player of the Year, Katrina Schutz (Eden Valley-Watkins) Minnesota West captured its 2nd NJCAA DIII national championship in the past 3 years. The Crown College women claimed the NCCAA DII National Championship by defeating Champion (might be a little bit of a misnomer in this case) Christian College 61-53.

High School

  • The GOAT – Maddyn Greenway finished her career as the most decorated player in Minnesota girls’ basketball history and certainly has a strong case to be considered the GOAT. She is the greatest winner in state history becoming the only player to ever win 5 state titles while leading Providence Academy to an unprecedented 5-peat that included an undefeated season during her junior year. Greenway set state records for career points and assists, is a 2-time Gatorade Player of the Year, and was named Minnesota’s 2026 Ms. Basketball. The Kentucky commit earned McDonald’s All-American honors and won a Gold Medal last summer as part of USA Basketball’s U19 team at the World Cup.
  • A Scoring Race for the Ages – basketball fans were treated to an epic scoring battle between Greenway and Gopher commit Tori Oehrlein of Crosby-Ironton who both shattered the previous career scoring mark of 5,060 points set by Braham’s Rebekah Dahlman. In a see saw race, that featured 40- and 50-point performances, Greenway ultimately secured the scoring crown with 5,621 points. Both players averaged more than 30 ppg over their 6-year high school careers and became just the 10th and 11th girls nationally to eclipse the 5,000-point barrier.
  • Double Dynasties – The Providence Academy and Benilde St. Margaret’s girls’ programs continued their dominance with the Lions capturing their 5th consecutive 2A state title and the Red Knights their 4th straight 3A title.
  • Cinderella (s) Crashed the Ball – for the first time in state history the #5 and #7 seeds played for the 4A boys’ state championship with Chaska defeating Apple Valley. Enroute to the title game, the Hawks upset #1 seed and undefeated Tartan, while the Eagles shocked the world (at least Minnesota) by defeating traditional powers Wayzata and Maple Grove, both featuring multiple D1 players.
  • A Royal Flush – Hopkins’ Ken Novak Jr., surpassed Chisholm’s Bob McDonald to become the winningest boys coach in state history with 1,013 wins. Add in 8 state championships and this Royal legend has an unmatched resume of success.

Training/AAU

  • Where Minnesota’s Best are Built – Hoop Habits is excited to take its training efforts to the next level with the recent opening of its new facility in Minnetonka near the intersection of Highways 62 and 169. In addition to training opportunities for players of all ages from beginners to the pros, the new facility will be home to the more than 200 boys and girls who are part of the Hoop Habits Elite AAU program.

Not only is the Glass Half Full….it may well be overflowing!

About the Author 

As Hoop Habits’ media contributor, Roger Johnson brings decades of basketball expertise to his articles. Having served as a marketing executive at Wells Fargo & Company and a content writer for Ultimate Hoops, Roger’s true passion has always been basketball. With experience as a collegiate player at Moorhead State University, coach, and parent of successful players, Roger offers unique insights into the game. His dedication shows through his Minnesota Timberwolves season tickets, University of Minnesota basketball support, and attendance at over 3,000 basketball games throughout his lifetime.