We are less than a week away from both the NBA and NHL drafts, meaning the time is ripe for a look back over the past 10 years at how the Timberwolves and Wild have fared. We'll focus on the first round in each case, since that's where comparisons are most apt:
YearWolvesWild
2003Ndudi Ebi (26)Brent Burns (20)
Ebi, taken out of high school, lives in local draft infamy while Burns was a solid contributor before being traded in 2011. Winner: Wild.
2004No pickA.J. Thelen
The Wolves were being punished for the secret Joe Smith deal; Thelen, a defenseman, struggled at lower levels and never played for the Wild. Winner: None.
2005Rashad McCants (14)Benoit Pouliot (4)
McCants fizzled quickly, but he did average 14.9 ppg and shot 40.7 percent from three-point range in 2007-08. Pouliot struggled with the Wild but has had productive seasons elsewhere. Winner: Tie.
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