Minnesota Timberwolves Center Returns To College Basketball
· Yahoo Sports
A Minnesota Timberwolves center will be returning to collegiate basketball after being drafted by the NBA team earlier this year.
Visit mchezo.life for more information.
Former Purdue basketball star Trey Kaufman-Renn, who was drafted by the Timberwolves with the 59th overall pick in the second round of the 2026 NBA Draft, won a temporary restraining order against the NCAA to play a sixth college season.
However, he confirmed he will not return to the Boilermakers.
NEW: Minnesota Timberwolves draft pick Trey Kaufman-Renn has been granted a temporary restraining order against the NCAA allowing him to join a college team, @nwbaird reports.
Kaufman-Renn played college ball at Purdue. https://t.co/NdqeLiNWMIpic.twitter.com/oAhZpT1aWZ
— On3 (@On3) September 9, 2026
The former first-team All-Big Ten big man took to Instagram to officially declare that his “chapter in black and gold has come to an end,” thanking his teammates, coaches, and the fan base.
Kaufman-Renn’s legal team argued that he should benefit from the NCAA’s new “five-for-five” model since an injury forced him to take a redshirt year as a true freshman in 2021.
Kaufman-Renn never signed a formal contract with the Timberwolves or any NBA team so he is permitted to pursue college options so long as he pauses professional representation.
Kaufman-Renn reportedly had six or seven other schools have already reached out to offer him roster spots, where Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) payouts could exceed what he would make playing in the NBA G League.
Trey Kaufman-Renn Suited Up For The Minnesota Timberwolves
GettyNEW YORK, NEW YORK – JUNE 24: Trey Kaufman-Renn is drafted 59th overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves in Round Two of the 2026 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 24, 2026 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Caleb Bowlin/Getty Images)Trey Kaufman-Renn suited up for the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2026 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas to give him a shot at a possible roster spot next season.
Playing as an unsigned rookie, he appeared in five games, averaging 6.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.0 steal in roughly 12.7 minutes per game.
His best performance came against the Indiana Pacers, where he put up 14 points.
The Timberwolves’ tight salary cap and crowded frontcourt made it unlikely he’d secure a spot on the active 15-man roster or land one of the team’s two-way contracts.
Many believed he was on a trajectory toward the NBA G League, where the standard player salary sits at roughly $45,000.
The Timberwolves’ lack of financial commitment ultimately opened the door for his legal team to pause his professional pursuits and fight for a lucrative final year in college.
Minnesota Timberwolves Remain In Good Shape For 2026-2027 NBA Season
GettyMINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – MAY 15: Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves talks with referee Gord Dwyer #19 during the second quarter of a game against the San Antonio Spurs in Game Six of the Second Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Target Center on May 15, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)The Minnesota Timberwolves are still in good shape heading into the next season.
The Timberwolves enter the next NBA season with championship aspirations following a major roster revamp centered around Anthony Edwards and new star acquisition LaMelo Ball.
The team traded Julius Randle and Naz Reid to acquire point guard LaMelo Ball, signed former Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga to fill the power forward spot, and added Trey Lyles to have a better bench.
The offense is expected to take a major leap forward with Ball running the point, while relying on Rudy Gobert to again anchor the defense.
After reaching the Western Conference Finals in 2024 and 2025, the Timberwolves got bounced out of the second round in 2016 after bowing down to the San Antonio Spurs led by Victor Wembanyama.
Like HEAVY's content?Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
The post Minnesota Timberwolves Center Returns To College Basketball appeared first on HEAVY.