However this drama turns out, we all know why our highly popular local team made the decision.
They traded into the top 10 of the 2024 draft because they knew it was time to find the passer who could elevate the franchise from contender to champion.
The kid was young, yes, but he had played at a high-profile program, so pressure would not be a problem. He made big plays in big games while under the scrutiny of a famously discerning fan base, you didn’t need to be a pro scout to appreciate his talent.
He spent a year being tutored by a renowned mentor. Now, in his second season, we’re seeing that the transition to the pros is more of a process than plug-and-play.
What’s fascinating is that the above description applies to two Minnesota professional athletes, two kids with January birthdays who find themselves under the state’s microscope at an age when most of us were sending out our first entry-level job résumés, and saving up for the deposit on a studio apartment.
Since the Vikings drafted quarterback J.J. McCarthy out of Michigan with the 10th pick in the 2024 NFL draft, he has started two games, and we can’t be sure when he will start his third.
Since the Timberwolves chose point guard Rob Dillingham from Kentucky with the eighth pick in the 2024 NBA draft, he has started one game, and now looks like he will come off the bench in his second season, as either a backup point guard or an offense-injecting combo guard.
Both are talented enough that they could own their position for the next decade. Both are unproven enough that their teams could be looking for their replacement within a couple of years.