Alexey Shved won't turn 24 until next month, but already has played in Olympic basketball games and helped lead his CSKA Moscow team for four league championships.
But the Russian rookie guard won't play his first real NBA game until the Timberwolves' season opener Friday night against Sacramento.
"Really, I'm not nervous, I'm ready for the game," he said. "Because this is basketball, anything can happen, but I want to show my best."
Shved played in all seven preseason games, coming off the bench while playing mostly shooting guard. He scored 15 points in a game in Chicago and had eight assists in the preseason finale at Milwaukee, but also shot 20.8 percent from the field (5-for-24) in the final three games.
"You know, all players aren't happy how they play," he said when asked about his preseason performance. "I'm happy I play basketball, but some moments I can do much better than what I do in games. After every game, I say, 'What can I do better in this moment?'
"Right now, I feel better than [when training camp started Oct. 2]. I speak with coaches, everything is good."
Just then assistant coach Bill Bayno shouted out the Russian word for "speak" as he walked past Shved while he was talking to reporters.
"You see: He starts to speak Russian," Shved said. "That's good."
