Jefferson: We coming - most definitely

From the Washington Post:

But the drop-off from the 24-win Boston Celtics
to the Timberwolves has been considerable, with Minnesota on track win
18 games. "It’s a learning process," Jefferson, the centerpiece of the
deal that sent Garnett to Boston last summer, said in a telephone
interview. "And nobody’s going to give you nothing. If you want to eat,
you got to work for it."

Jefferson said the rest of the league had better get its licks in now
because it won’t always be like this. "You look at the good teams. At
one point in time, they was in our situation," said Jefferson, one of
five players averaging at least 20 points and 10 rebounds this season.
"You got to build and you got to start from nothing. But I feel in a
couple of years, we’re going to be there. We’re going to be one of the
top teams in the West, too. We coming — most definitely."

From Wendell Maxey/Hoopsworld:

Jefferson apparently has made an impression on McMillan – who
believes Jefferson is a throw back post player and grouped him in with
some pretty impressive company.

"He’s a legit old time power forward…Karl Malone, Charles Barkley,
Buck Williams. I think he’ll get better as the team matures. I think
he’s one of the best power forwards or center….or whatever he is in the
league. He can get his shot off pretty easy when he’s down there by
himself. I think if you put him with another big guy, then you have a
legit low post presence."

From the Star Tribune:

Somebody asked Wolves coach Randy Wittman if Al Jefferson’s "tweaked"
ankle that caused him to miss a practice but no games might soon become
sore enough to shut the big guy down for the season.

"We’re not shutting anybody down," he said.

From Sid Hartman:

One of the many scouts who attend games at Target Center talked the
other night about how Jefferson is a better player now than Kevin
Garnett was at the same stage, and if he was the general manager of the
Wolves, he wouldn’t trade Jefferson for Garnett. The Celtics are
playing for this year, and the Wolves are playing for the future.

What Wolves coach Randy Wittman likes about Jefferson, who is only three years out of high school, is his great upside.

From Rick Alonzo/Pioneer Press:

Timberwolves coach Randy Wittman didn’t like what he saw defensively Friday night in Seattle.

So he made a key change early in the third quarter,
replacing his best player, Al Jefferson, with rookie Chris Richard. The
Wolves trailed by seven points when Richard came into the game with
about 9 minutes left in the quarter. Richard played so well defensively
he finished out the quarter and helped the Wolves take a nine-point
lead into the fourth.

Wittman said Saturday he was hoping the focus on defense would rub off on the other players.

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Jefferson: We coming — most definitely

Alan Draper

Alan Draper

Alan Draper