Chip Scoggins: Muhammad crosses over into favorable territory

Shabazz Muhammad knew the perception of him among Timberwolves fans after the organization drafted him in the first round last year. It hovered somewhere between skepticism and disgust.

A common sentiment sounded something like this: Why did they draft that selfish prima donna?

Like many others in this state, I shared that opinion. Why?

One game.

Muhammad's performance against the Gophers in the NCAA tournament in March 2013 was a real turnoff.

He took bad shots. He looked disinterested and listless. He treated the tournament's big stage with as much gusto as a yawn.

Muhammad appeared mentally checked out in a 20-point loss by UCLA. It was not a good look.

Saunders acknowledged it wasn't "the most popular pick" and noted he was "very critical" of Muhammad in the draft process, too.

"You've got to own up to the picks you make," Saunders said that night, "and I feel at that pick, that was the best pick we could make."

Not exactly a ringing endorsement. And now?

"He probably plays as hard and aggressive as anybody in the league," Saunders said Monday.

Perception has shifted 180 degrees. Muhammad has been the Wolves' most reliable player this season. Maybe even their best player as a reserve.

Muhammad plays hard. Relentlessly hard. He still has miles to go defensively, but he's brought a physical presence and competitive bite that was wholly unexpected.

He's even become a fan favorite because … wait for it … he wrings every ounce of effort from his body when he's on the court.

"In Minnesota, people love guys that play hard and give everything," Saunders said. "There's not one time that I've had to say to him, 'You've got to play harder.' "

This is not the same player we saw in that tournament game, which is a tricky thing about first impressions.

"I definitely thought there was a negative perception [after being drafted]," Muhammad said. "I've changed everybody's perception of me. I'm a good kid. I want to come out and work hard and be there for my teammates."

An unflattering story on Muhammad's father's influence on his son's basketball career ran in the Los Angeles Times that morning. Among other things, the report revealed Muhammad was actually 20 at the time, not 19 as everyone was led to believe.

"He had a lot of things that were going through his head," Saunders said.

If UCLA had played a different team in the tournament, the perception of Muhammad locally might not have been so harsh. But Minnesotans watched that game and saw Muhammad jack up shots and later heard about his dad's involvement.

"A lot of people thought that he was kind of a prima donna," Saunders said. "He's pretty much the total opposite of that."

Muhammad deserves credit for changing that perception, largely by reshaping his body and putting forth great effort. He looks like a different person this season after shedding 20 pounds during a six-week training program in California.

"He wants to be a great player," Saunders said. "A lot of people say that, but are they willing to make the commitment? He's willing to make that commitment."

That kick in the pants has given Muhammad more energy, stamina and confidence. He also worked to develop his offensive game. The effort part always has come naturally, he said.

"I think that started in high school," he said. "I had a high motor. It's just a will to play hard."

Nobody accused him of that in his final college game. That one game left many with a bad impression. Count me among those who have a completely different opinion of him now.

Chip Scoggins • chip.scoggins@startribune.com