1994–95 Minnesota Timberwolves season

1994–95 Minnesota Timberwolves season
Head coachBill Blair
OwnersGlen Taylor
ArenaTarget Center
Results
Record21–61 (.256)
PlaceDivision: 6th (Midwest)
Conference: 12th (Western)
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Stats at Basketball Reference
Local media
TelevisionKARE
KLGT-TV
Prime Sports Upper Midwest
RadioKFAN

The 1994–95 Minnesota Timberwolves season was the sixth season for the Minnesota Timberwolves in the National Basketball Association.[1] The Timberwolves received the fourth overall pick in the 1994 NBA draft, and selected small forward Donyell Marshall from the University of Connecticut.[2][3][4] During the off-season, the team acquired Sean Rooks from the Dallas Mavericks,[5][6] and signed free agents Winston Garland,[7] and undrafted rookie point guard Darrick Martin in February.[8] The team also hired Bill Blair as their new head coach.[9][10]

Under Blair and with the addition of Marshall, Rooks and Garland, the Timberwolves continued to struggle losing 13 of their first 14 games of the regular season, including a seven-game losing streak, as Micheal Williams suffered a season-ending left heel injury after only just one game.[11][12] In December, the team signed free agent Greg Foster, who was previously released by the Chicago Bulls.[13][14] At mid-season, Marshall was traded to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for Tom Gugliotta.[15][16][17] The Timberwolves held an 11–36 record at the All-Star break,[18] lost nine of their final ten games of the season, and finished in last place in the Midwest Division with a 21–61 record, setting a dubious record in becoming the first team ever to lose 60 or more games in four consecutive seasons.[19][20] The team missed the NBA playoffs for the sixth consecutive year.[1]

Second-year star Isaiah Rider led the Timberwolves with 20.4 points per game and 139 three-point field goals, while Christian Laettner averaged 16.3 points and 7.6 rebounds per game, and Gugliotta provided the team with 14.4 points, 7.2 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.0 steals per game in 31 games after the trade. In addition, Doug West contributed 12.9 points per game, while Rooks provided with 10.9 points and 6.1 rebounds per game, and Martin contributed 7.5 points and 3.9 assists per game in 34 games. Meanwhile, Garland provided with 6.1 points and 4.4 assists per game, as the team's starting point guard in Williams' absence, Stacey King averaged 5.3 points and 3.3 rebounds per game, Chris Smith contributed 5.0 points per game, and Foster provided with 4.6 points and 3.4 rebounds per game.[21]

During the NBA All-Star weekend at the America West Arena in Phoenix, Arizona, Rider participated in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest for the second consecutive year,[22][23] while before the mid-season trade, Marshall was selected for the NBA Rookie Game, as a member of the White team.[22][24] The Timberwolves finished 21st in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 603,518 at the Target Center during the regular season.[21][25]

Following the season, Martin signed as a free agent with the Vancouver Grizzlies expansion team,[8] while Foster signed with the Utah Jazz,[26][14] and Garland, King, Smith and Mike Brown were all released to free agency.

Draft picks

Round Pick Player Position Nationality College
14Donyell MarshallSF/PF United StatesConnecticut
230Howard EisleyPG United StatesBoston College

Roster

1994–95 Minnesota Timberwolves roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Player Height Weight DOB From
C 40 Mike Brown 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 257 lb (117 kg) –– George Washington
F 30 Pat Durham 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 210 lb (95 kg) –– Colorado State
C 44 Greg Foster 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 240 lb (109 kg) –– UTEP
G 22 Winston Garland 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 170 lb (77 kg) –– Missouri State
F 24 Tom Gugliotta 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 240 lb (109 kg) –– NC State
F 51 Andrés Guibert 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 225 lb (102 kg) –– Cuba
F/C 21 Stacey King 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 230 lb (104 kg) –– Oklahoma
F 32 Christian Laettner 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 235 lb (107 kg) –– Duke
G 15 Darrick Martin 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 170 lb (77 kg) –– UCLA
G 34 Isaiah Rider 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 215 lb (98 kg) –– UNLV
C 45 Sean Rooks 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 250 lb (113 kg) –– Arizona
G 3 Chris Smith 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Connecticut
F 5 Doug West 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 200 lb (91 kg) –– Villanova
G 4 Micheal Williams 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 175 lb (79 kg) –– Baylor
Head coach
Assistant(s)
Legend
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured Injured

Roster

Regular season

Season standings

Midwest Division
 W L PCT GB Home Road Div
z-San Antonio Spurs 6220.756—33–829–1220–6
x-Utah Jazz 6022.732233–827–1417–9
x-Houston Rockets 4735.5731525–1622–1913–13
x-Denver Nuggets 4141.5002123–1818–2313–13
Dallas Mavericks 3646.4392619–2217–2411–15
Minnesota Timberwolves 2161.2564113–288–334–22
#
Western Conference
Team W L PCT GB
1 z-San Antonio Spurs6220.756–
2 y-Phoenix Suns5923.7203
3 x-Utah Jazz6022.7322
4 x-Seattle SuperSonics5725.6955
5 x-Los Angeles Lakers4834.58514
6 x-Houston Rockets4735.57315
7 x-Portland Trail Blazers4438.53718
8 x-Denver Nuggets4141.50021
9 Sacramento Kings3943.47623
10 Dallas Mavericks3646.43926
11 Golden State Warriors2656.31736
12 Minnesota Timberwolves2161.25641
13 Los Angeles Clippers1765.20745
z - clinched division title
y - clinched division title
x - clinched playoff spot

Game log

Regular season

1994–95 game log
Total: 21–61 (Home: 13–28; Road: 8–33)
November: 1–13 (home: 0–7; road: 1–6)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance		Record
2 November 5, 1994
7:00 p.m. CST		 Houston L 85–115 Rider (18) Marshall (7) Smith (4) Target Center
16,578		 0–2
December: 5–7 (home: 2–4; road: 3–3)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance		Record
January: 4–12 (home: 3–4; road: 1–8)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance		Record
35 January 16, 1995
7:00 p.m. CST		 Houston W 94–75 Rider (24) West (11) Garland, West (6) Target Center
12,442		 8–27
41 January 28, 1995
7:30 p.m. CST		 @ Houston L 93–114 Eisley, Laettner (14) Laettner (8) Eisley, Rider (4) The Summit
16,611		 10–31
February: 4–9 (home: 3–4; road: 1–5)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance		Record
All-Star Break
March: 5–11 (home: 4–5; road: 1–6)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance		Record
57 March 3, 1995
7:00 p.m. CST		 Houston W 108–105 Gugliotta (21) Laettner (8) Gugliotta, Laettner (6) Target Center
17,068		 16–41
64 March 16, 1995
7:30 p.m. CST		 @ Houston L 97–104 Rooks (21) Laettner (8) Gugliotta, West (5) The Summit
10,711		 17–47
April: 2–9 (home: 1–4; road: 1–5)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance		Record
1994–95 schedule

Player statistics

Regular season

Player POS GP GS MP REB AST STL BLK PTS MPG RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
Christian LaettnerC 81802,770613234101871,32234.27.62.91.21.116.3
Sean RooksC 80702,40548697297186830.16.11.2.4.910.9
Isaiah RiderSG 75672,64524924569231,53235.33.33.3.9.320.4
Winston GarlandPG 73581,931168318711344826.52.34.41.0.26.1
Doug WestSG 71652,328227185652491932.83.22.6.9.312.9
Chris SmithSG 64171,07373146322232016.81.12.3.5.35.0
Greg Foster†PF 61084520523132028113.93.4.4.2.34.6
Pat DurhamSF 5928529453363230214.41.6.9.6.55.1
Stacey KingPF 501079216526242026615.83.3.5.5.45.3
Donyell Marshall†SF 4081,03619657255043125.94.91.4.61.310.8
Darrick MartinPG 3498036413334025423.61.93.91.0.07.5
Howard Eisley†PG 344496427718511314.61.22.3.5.13.3
Tom Gugliotta†SF 31171,018222139612844532.87.24.52.0.914.4
Mike BrownC 270213451070357.91.7.4.3.01.3
Charles ShacklefordPF 212239678869411.43.2.4.4.34.5
Andrés GuibertPF 170167451081459.82.6.6.5.12.6
Askia JonesSG 1101391116604512.61.01.5.5.04.1
Micheal WilliamsPG 11281320628.01.03.02.0.06.0
  • † Denotes player spent time with another team in the season. Stats reflect time with the Timberwolves only.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Minnesota Timberwolves". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved August 8, 2026.
  2. ↑ Brown, Clifton (June 30, 1994). "BASKETBALL; The Bucks Go with Robinson as No. 1 Pick". The New York Times. Retrieved July 30, 2021.
  3. ↑ Heisler, Mark (June 30, 1994). "NBA DRAFT: Blockbuster Trade That Wasn't Overshadows Player Selections". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  4. ↑ "1994 NBA Draft". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
  5. ↑ "Mavs Send Rooks to T-Wolves". United Press International. November 1, 1994. Retrieved November 8, 2022.
  6. ↑ "Transactions". The New York Times. November 2, 1994. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  7. ↑ "Transactions". The New York Times. November 12, 1994. Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  8. 1 2 Baker, Chris (February 11, 1997). "He's Tiny, But His Presence Is Huge". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 8, 2022.
  9. ↑ "PRO BASKETBALL; Blair and Hill Named to Head Coach Jobs". The New York Times. Associated Press. August 30, 1994. Retrieved November 8, 2022.
  10. ↑ "Timberwolves, Spurs Hire Head Coaches". Los Angeles Times. Staff and Wire Reports. August 30, 1994. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
  11. ↑ "PLUS: BASKETBALL; Williams Cleared". The New York Times. Associated Press. September 26, 1997. Retrieved November 8, 2022.
  12. ↑ "Timberwolves' Williams Finally Returns". United Press International. December 12, 1997. Retrieved January 14, 2022.
  13. ↑ "Baseball: Colorado Rockies -- Agreed to Terms with..." The Baltimore Sun. December 17, 1994. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
  14. 1 2 Jorgensen, Loren (November 27, 1997). "Home at Last: After a Series of the Unkindest of Cuts, Greg Foster Is a Hoop Vagabond No More". Deseret News. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
  15. ↑ "PRO BASKETBALL; Gugliotta Is Traded". The New York Times. February 19, 1995. Retrieved July 31, 2021.
  16. ↑ "Warrior Makeover Continues with Trade: NBA: They Get Rookie Marshall from Minnesota in Exchange for Gugliotta, Who Was Acquired in Controversial Webber Deal". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. February 19, 1995. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
  17. ↑ Justice, Richard (February 21, 1995). "Timberwolves Gamble Again by Trading Marshall". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
  18. ↑ "NBA Games Played on February 9, 1995". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
  19. ↑ "Boston Garden Fertile Ground for Memories". The Washington Post. April 22, 1995. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
  20. ↑ "1994–95 Minnesota Timberwolves Schedule and Results". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
  21. 1 2 "1994–95 Minnesota Timberwolves Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
  22. 1 2 "Basketball". The Tuscaloosa News. February 11, 1995. p. 2C. Retrieved September 18, 2025.
  23. ↑ "NBA & ABA All-Star Game Contest Winners". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved September 18, 2025.
  24. ↑ "1995 NBA Rising Stars: White 83, Green 79 (OT)". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved September 18, 2025.
  25. ↑ "1994–95 NBA Season Summary". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved January 22, 2026.
  26. ↑ Evans, Richard (October 5, 1995). "Jazz Snag Ostertag with 3-Year Contract". Deseret News. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
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