As a Minnesota Timberwolves fan, I’m accustomed to the heartbreak and misery of a bottom-feeder team. The team hasn’t made the playoffs since the 2003-2004 season, which was only the eighth time in their 27-year history.  Miserable draft selections and terrible records in league play only add to the heartbreak. Despite the sadness that accompanies such poor play, things have started to change in the Twin Cities and a competitive basketball franchise is about to take over.

The Timberwolves remain in a constant purgatory, always finishing with one of the worst records in the NBA but without the reward of a high lottery pick in the draft. The team’s unsuccessful draft picks never seem to yield them a diamond in the rough like Jimmy Butler or Stephen Curry to energize their franchise.

Historically, the Timberwolves have had young, high potential talent, but no veteran help or quality coaching to lead them, which is a main part of their problem. However, with a new coaching regime, headed by head coach Tom Thibodeau taking over a tandem of young superstars, like Andrew Wiggins and Karl Anthony-Towns, the Timberwolves seem destined for success.

Even though the Timberwolves have been constant bottom feeders in the Western Conference, they did have a ray of luck with their draft day trade for Kevin Love in 2008. Love burst into the NBA as a big man dominant in rebounding and shooting, a very rare combination among power forwards in the league. Six years later in 2014, the Timberwolves traded Love to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Andrew Wiggins, ex-Kansas stud who took the Cavaliers first overall earlier that year. This trade worked wonders for the Wolves as Wiggins has turned into a lockdown defender with extreme offensive upside. Wiggins infused the team with energy and introduced a new era for the franchise.

While Wiggins alone has inspired the Wolves to reach new heights, we have been rewarded with another superstar out of Kentucky with the first overall selection in 2015, Karl Anthony-Towns. In his first year, Towns has already proved himself as one of the NBA’s elite at his position, a strong defender who can bang down low with any center in the league.

Towns and Wiggins have already shown themselves to be one of the most dynamic duos in the NBA, receiving lots of help from other studs on the roster such as the uber-athletic Zach Lavine, the savvy veteran point guard Ricky Rubio, and long and lanky center Gorgui Dieng. The Timberwolves are ready to make some noise in the NBA, and these players are leading the charge.

After years of disappointment, the Wolves are finally putting a team on the court that we can be proud of and that is capable of making noise in the Western Conference. Expectations are sky high for our dynamic duo of Andrew Wiggins and Karl Anthony-Towns.