When the NBA released last year’s regular-season schedule, the Minnesota Timberwolves were given five nationally televised games—three on ESPN and two on TNT, excluding NBA TV. This number was a decrease from the nine nationally televised games they had in the 2022-23 season, signaling that the league’s view of the historically overlooked franchise remained unchanged.

It was understandable why the NBA reduced Minnesota’s national TV appearances. In 2022, the Wolves made headlines by acquiring Rudy Gobert from the Utah Jazz, shifting from a young team focused on future potential to one with a championship-or-bust mentality overnight. However, Karl-Anthony Towns missed 52 consecutive games due to a calf injury, the Wolves traded D’Angelo Russell for Mike Conley at the mid-season deadline, and Gobert—also not fully healthy—struggled to find his rhythm with the new team.

As a result, Minnesota finished the season with a 42-40 record. By most accounts, it was a disappointing year that left fans underwhelmed, with some even booing the team during the regular season. The Wolves were eliminated in five games by the eventual champion Denver Nuggets in the first round. The hype surrounding the team by late April was far lower than what Tim Connelly and his staff had hoped for when they traded for Gobert in July.

Given these circumstances, having only nine nationally televised games felt almost insulting. While factors beyond their control and a string of bad luck contributed to Minnesota’s disappointing 2022 season, it shouldn’t have led to them having the 10th fewest nationally televised games the following year.

However, much has changed in a year. The Wolves are now set to appear on national TV 18 times during the 2024-25 regular season. This is more than their total from the past five years combined (17 games) and marks the most national TV games they’ve had in a single season since 2017-18 (also 17 games).

The NBA has high expectations for the Wolves this year. While they might not align with Minnesota’s internal goal of reaching the NBA Finals, the league believes that fans across the country will want to watch the Timberwolves. To draw national attention, teams need to be both entertaining and star-studded. But above all, the increased spotlight comes with the expectation of winning.

Minnesota needs to make the NBA’s decision look good.

The Wolves have long been accustomed to being overlooked in the national spotlight. In 2019, 2020, and 2021, the league granted them just one nationally televised game each year. To be fair, Minnesota won fewer than 30 games in two of those seasons. It’s a straightforward equation: the NBA doesn’t reward teams with national exposure if they aren’t winning.

However, another reason for keeping rebuilding teams out of the national spotlight is the absence of star power. After Kevin Garnett left the Wolves in 2007, the team lacked a true generational talent until they drafted Anthony Edwards. While Andrew Wiggins showed promise, he never evolved into the franchise player Minnesota hoped for. In 2018, Jimmy Butler led the Wolves to their first playoff appearance in 13 years, but his tenure in the Twin Cities lasted less than two seasons. Karl-Anthony Towns, a multi-time All-Star and one of the best three-point-shooting big men ever, has an impressive resume, but he couldn’t carry the Wolves deep into the playoffs as the primary option.

As a mid-market team, the Wolves simply hadn’t had a star compelling enough to draw global fans to watch a random game in November—until a young talent from Atlanta, Anthony Edwards, burst onto the scene in Minnesota.

Last season, the Wolves posted a 56-26 record, their second-best regular season in franchise history, finishing third in the Western Conference. They dominated the regular season with blowout victories, shattered franchise records, and even offered fans free chicken after missed free throws. It was a thrilling season for Wolves fans. However, despite this success, the team only appeared on national TV nine times during the regular season. It wasn’t until the playoffs that the Wolves solidified themselves as must-see TV, as Charles Barkley might say (or at least try to).

It all began with Anthony Edwards taking on his basketball idol in Games 1 and 2 of the first round, followed by his DX celebration at Footprint Center as the Wolves swept the Phoenix Suns. He then dropped 43 points as the Timberwolves stole Game 1 on the road against the Nuggets. After falling behind 3-2 in the series, Edwards confidently told a locker room attendant at Ball Arena, “See ya’ll motherf–kers for Game 7.” He delivered on that promise, sinking a corner three that was seen around the world, which put the Wolves up by ten in Game 7, sealing a 20-point comeback victory and sending Minnesota to the Western Conference Finals for the first time in 20 years.

Nearly all of Minnesota’s most unforgettable postseason moments featured Edwards, and they all aired on national television. The 23-year-old has quickly become one of the NBA’s most thrilling players, especially after his Gold Medal performance with Team USA in the Paris Summer Olympics. On and off the court, Edwards is a force to be reckoned with, making Minnesota a team to watch.

Edwards has single-handedly elevated Minnesota as an electrifying postseason contender, capturing the NBA’s attention. However, the real challenge now is to justify that attention and make the league proud.

Chris Finch is working with virtually the same rotation as last season, with the notable exception of Kyle Anderson, who signed with the Golden State Warriors. The Wolves also have less depth at backup point guard after Monte Morris (Suns) and Jordan McLaughlin (Sacramento Kings) signed elsewhere.

The No. 8 overall pick, 19-year-old Rob Dillingham, is Minnesota’s backup point guard, though he started only one game during his time at Kentucky. While the Wolves have lost some depth and will need to navigate Dillingham’s transition to the NBA, they remain equipped to make noise in the regular season once again. They must repay the NBA for their increased national TV exposure by being a winning team that consistently delivers highlight-reel plays on platforms like Bleacher Report.

Fortunately for the Wolves, they have Edwards, who has already shown he can lead a team to deep postseason success and make them a national sensation.

The Timberwolves will take the stage on opening night, facing off against the Los Angeles Lakers, the league’s most popular team. They’re also scheduled to play on Christmas in a Western Conference Finals rematch against the Dallas Mavericks, and on MLK Day against the Memphis Grizzlies. With 18 nationally televised games in the regular season, the NBA has provided the Wolves with a grand stage to prove to fans worldwide that the days of sub-30 win seasons are behind them and that a new era is on the horizon.

Now, all they have to do is seize the moment.