Though Iowa doesn’t currently have a professional basketball team, that doesn’t mean that those within the Hawkeye state have to miss out on top-notch basketball action.
The state is home to the Iowa Wolves of the NBA’s G League and one of Iowa’s best basketball teams. The G League is home to some of the developing bright stars of tomorrow as well as veteran hoopers that are looking to make it to the big time once again.
Let’s take a look forward to the 2022-23 season for the Wolves. There are a few important key dates worth noting and things to keep an eye on.
The 2022-23 Season: What’s Happened So Far
The NBA G League regular season kicked off back on December 29, 2022, but there is still a ton of action to be had the rest of the way. The Iowa Wolves have played five games thus far, losing all but one matchup so far. They opened with a 127-118 to the Raptors 905 at Wells Fargo Arena, winning the second half of the back-to-back just two days later.
They have lost their last three games, a 138-126 final against the Texas Legends and back-to-back losses against the Salt Lake City Stars in Utah, the latter a close 3-point decision. There hasn’t been much in terms of regular season action so it is hard to really say whether the Wolves will make an impact or languish near the bottom of the standings once again.
Despite having seen action this season, there is still a lot to come. There are 27 games remaining on the schedule, with the finale coming at home in the Wells Fargo Arena on March 25 against the Lakeland Magic.
The Key Matchups for 2022-23
Before we can look ahead to the rest of the 2022-23 schedule, it helps to be able to look back at the 2021-22 G League schedule first. The Iowa Wolves were a middle-of-the-pack team in the Western Conference last season, finishing 15-17 along the way.
The league saw a few standout teams at the top of the standings. The Raptors 905 had a league-best 24-8 record, followed closely by the Rio Grande Valley Vipers (24-10), Delaware Blue Coats (22-10), Motor City Cruise (22-10), Aqua Caliente Clippers (22-11, and South Bay Lakers (21-11).
In the end, the Vipers wound up going over the Blue Coats, besting them in 2-straight games to capture the G League championship. Both teams were standouts in the Showcase Cup League as well, proving their dominance throughout the course of the season.
So, what does this mean for the 2022-23 season and the Iowa Wolves’ schedule? Here are a few of the most important matchups to look forward to.
The Wolves have a pair of matchups with the South Bay Lakers and Rio Grande Valley Vipers, the defending champion. All four games will come on the road, presenting a real challenge for the young Wolves group. If the Wolves can show out against two of the top leagues in the G League, it bodes well for their chances the rest of the season.
Westchester Knicks (twice), Ontario Clippers, Long Island Nets, Oklahoma City Blue (twice), Austin Spurs (twice), Stockton Kings (twice) Texas Legends, Mexico City Capitanes (twice), Sioux Falls Skyforce (twice), Birmingham Squardron (twice), Santa Cruz Warriors (twice), and the Lakeland Magic.
They also have a pair of games in the NBA G League Ignite series, taking place February 27 and 28 at the Dollar Loan Center.
The regular season finale will happen at home in the Wells Fargo Arena. The Wolves will take on the Magic, Orlando’s affiliate, to wrap up regular season play. Whether the Wolves can punch their ticket to the playoffs or not will be fleshed out before then.
RISE UP, BSAMP@bsampXLIV pic.twitter.com/mJYGz0pgtV
— Iowa Wolves (@iawolves) December 31, 2022
The Minnesota Timberwolves
The Iowa Wolves are the G League affiliate for the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves. The Timberwolves are an interesting group, seemingly having one of the better young groups in the league though they struggle to make the most of that talent.
They are right on the cusp of a playoff spot in the Western Conference as of the new year, but there is no telling what may happen by the time April rolls around. To get a better idea of how the future of the Timberwolves could be impacted, it is a good idea to look to the Iowa Wolves.
Though the top end of the NBA draft is often for players who will step into the NBA and make an impact right away, that isn’t the case for everyone. For a team like Minnesota, who picked 26th in the 2022 NBA draft, the G League is a more likely destination.
They took Wendell Moore Jr. with that pick and though he is a talented SG/SF, it may be a matter of not having much room for him. The T-Wolves added Ruddy Gobert, which shows that they are serious about not only making the playoffs but advancing with a deep run.
Moore didn’t stand much of a chance of getting ahead of Taurean Prince, Jaden McDaniels, Kyle Anderson, or Jaylen Nowell, meaning the G League was the most likely destination. Still, he’s just 20 years old which means that he has time to develop. He could be a versatile piece as a shoot-pass wing flowing between the team’s three top stars.
He is acquitting himself well so far in G League action. He leads the team in assists, averaging 8.0 assists per game. He is also third in scoring (20.0 PPG), third in rebounds (8.0 RPG), and minutes (31.4 MPG). The G League is giving him the time to develop his skills without the pressures of being in an NBA lineup on a nightly basis.
Iowa Wolves Player Awards and Honors Received
Though the Iowa Wolves may not be at the top of the standings in recent years, there is definitely a success to be seen from some of their players. Going back to 2009, there are six individual accolades worth nothing for the Wolves players.
Othyus Jeffers was named the 2009 D-League rookie of the year for his efforts. Iowa had All-First-Team members in Courtney Sims (2009), Cartier Martin (2010), Curtis Stinson (2010, 2011), Othyus Jeffers (2014, and Alex Stepheson (2016). Jeffers would also reach the Second Team in 2011 while Earl Barron (2010), Martin (2009), and Damien Wilkins (2015) all earned League Third-Team honors.
Sims would have one of the most unique awards for Iowa with an All-Star Game MVP award, winning the accolade twice (2009, 2011). But the big award is the Most Valuable Player Award. Sims won in 2009, Stinson in 2011, and Jeffers won co-MVP for his efforts in 2014.
It has been a while since someone from the Wolves has claimed individual accolades and not since the team went from the D-League to the G League.
all eyes on @DJCarton 🐺
📺 https://t.co/efoXxQJr8u pic.twitter.com/U7Un2u7qY3
— Iowa Wolves (@iawolves) December 31, 2022
The Memorable 2011 Season
It has been some time since the Iowa Wolves tasted championship glory. The last time was in 2011 back when the minor league for the NBA was known as the D League and they were known as the Energy. That year, the Energy was bolstered by the return of quality players like Sims, Jeffers, and Stinson.
Nick Nurse returned as head coach and all the pieces were in place for a magical run. That year, they managed to match the franchise-best for wins with 37 and claimed the top seed in the conference heading into the playoffs.
They rolled through the competition in the playoffs easily, besting the Utah Flash in the first round, the Tulsa 66ers in the semifinal and the Rio Grande Valley Vipers in the finals. Stinson was the MVP of that season, averaging 19.3 points, 9.8 assists, and 5.7 rebounds per game.
Jeffers was named as the Rookie of the Year and made the All-D-League Team with Stinson. Despite Jeffers being called up to the Washington Wizards for the playoffs, the team managed to forge ahead to the championship.
last one of '22 🐺
one hour til tip⏳ pic.twitter.com/okR0KpnUGI
— Iowa Wolves (@iawolves) December 31, 2022
Since Becoming the Wolves
The Energy would become the Wolves starting with the 2017-18 season. It has been less than stellar for the group since then, though last season showed promise. Their best winning percentage came in that inaugural season where they saw a third-place finish in the Midwest Division.
They are looking to build on their 15-17 record from the 2021-22 season, hoping the addition of Moore can be enough to boost them up the standings. There is a lot of talent in the Minnesota organization, but it is safe to say that the vast majority of that talent will be going toward the Timberwolves’ playoff push.
There is a lot of great action to be had in the G League this season, providing fans with a great opportunity to check out the future of the Minnesota organization. Check out the Wolves in person and see what names you might find on an NBA roster in the coming future. You can enjoy the great G League action right in the heart of the Wells Fargo Arena.
Credits on Featured Image: Tom Hagerty, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
