Wolves on the Wolves

At Media Day last Friday, the new-look Wolves were on the hot seat with a barrage of questions that have been brewing in reporter's minds all summer. One thing that was consistent amongst the player's responses was their belief that just because the team is young and unfamiliar with each other doesn't mean that they can't compete right away this season. Here are a few thoughts that were shared with the media on Friday from selected Wolves players.

Randy Foye
"I think that last year people did expect us to do something and that's why when we didn't do anything everyone was so upset. But I think with this year we have no expectations coming into the season. Teams might think they can come in and walk all over us this year and that's when we're going to sneak up on them."

"Last year I came in blind to the fact of NBA basketball. I didn't know any terminology, didn't understand how the pick and roll was run with certain guys. This year I'm coming in as a veteran; I see a lot of things before they happen now."

Rashad McCants
" I try not to think about last year; how it ended, how it began, the year as a whole. I think this year is totally different from the aspect that I am completely healthy. I had no setbacks, I had no injuries and that's a first from my freshman year at college where every summer was some different injury. This summer everything kind of turned around a little bit and I've been healthy.

"I'm very impressed (with this year's squad). I think it's more impressive to know that we are a group of guys who have under-achieved, so to say. I think with young guys like Sebastian, Gerald, Al, Randy, Craig and myself, we really haven't been able showcase the utmost of our talents. We now have the chance to showcase."

Corey Brewer
"I'm just ready to go out there and play. I'm just looking at it as another season and a chance to win another championship. I don't know any other way to look at it."

"Just like when I was a sophomore in college, we started four sophomores and a junior and we won a national championship. It doesn't matter if you're young. If you go out there and play basketball to the best of your abilities, you can win."

Theo Ratliff
"It's all about basketball. Every team I've been on nobody's been set. A lot of the times you know the guys that have been there and who is going to be playing, but it's never set. Most good coaches go in with the attitude of whoever's doing the job the best that's who gets the job."

"We got our work cut out for us (Juwan and me), trying to keep these (young) guys in line.But we've had a long career in the league and we've been known to be good guys. It's going to be a natural process for us."

Juwan Howard
"I've always told the organization it's a complement that they are paying me to help teach these guys how to be a professional athlete and compete at the highest level night in and night out."

"I'm going to be the professional that I've always been throughout my career for 13 years. I'm going to try to be the right leader for these young guys. I'm not going to come in here and be a cancer and distraction to the team. I'm going to teach them what needs to be done, what it takes to compete at the highest level and how to prepare themselves night in and night out."

"Let's talk about this team here; this is a young and talented group of players that has a chance to be special and I mean that. You look at guys like Al Jefferson, Gerald Green, Rashad McCants, Craig Smith and Randy Foye. That group right there is a good core to build a team around. Obviously this organization has done their homework and put together a good group of talent. More importantly, they seem like good character guys. As this group gets more seasoning they all have a chance to become All-Stars."

Gerald Green
"I have to work on every aspect of my game, which I've been doing all summer. This is one of the hardest summers I've had, working wise. I'm really looking forward to this season and this training camp. Hopefully I can show everybody what I can do."