Former Cincinnati Bearcats superstar Sean Kilpatrick made his NBA debut with the Minnesota Timberwolves on March 19th, 2015, against the New York Knicks. A projected second-round pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, Kilpatrick went undrafted and was unable to make a roster come the start of the season.
Well the Timberwolves finally recognized the talent available in the free agent market, picking up the young superstar; and since then the team has turned things around.
The Wolves were on a six-game losing skid before bringing in Kilpatrick, leaving them with a 14-53. In Kilpatrick’s first four games with the team, the Timberwolves have gone 2-2—2-1 in games he has actually played in.
It wasn’t until his three game with the Timberwolves that Sean Kilpatrick really had a chance to show off his skills. In his 20 minutes against the Utah Jazz, Kilpatrick notched 13 points in the game which stretched into overtime. Kilpatrick was 4-7 overall from the field, including an impressive 3-4 from beyond the arc and 2-2 from the free throw line. He also recorded three rebounds, two assists, and a steal. Needless to say, Sean Kilpatrick has proved that he belongs in the NBA and is more than capable of competing with the big dogs.
Back at Cincinnati, Kilpatrick averaged over 20 points per game his senior season. At 6’4 and 210 pounds, Kilpatrick is the perfect size for an NBA shooting guard. No one can say for sure why he wasn’t given a chance until now, but being denied his dream has clearly served as even more motivation for Kilpatrick to get his start as a pro.
It is very rare for players in Kilpatrick’s position to get a chance like he did; but it is even rarer for a player like that to then come through with a solid performance in just his third professional game.
Kilpatrick has always been a top-tier scorer and all-around player. Although he may not make an All-Star Game any time soon, Sean Kilpatrick has proved his value as a scoring threat coming off the bench both to the Minnesota Timberwolves and the NBA as a whole.