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Minnesota Timberwolves Summer League head coach Nathan Bubes said it clear as day when speaking on the most rewarding part of coaching after the Wolves 114-98 victory over the Pacers on July 15.
“For me as a first time head coach, having Zyon Pullin next to me is a game-changer. He is a true throwback point guard, I could sit on the bench probably the entire time he’s in there and he could call the game probably better than I’m calling it…”
Pullin proved why he was called up from Iowa late in the 2025-26 season, and with the Wolves not having any throwback point guards on the roster, Summer League may have cemented his status on the team in 2026-27.
Summer League stats paint incomplete picture for Pullin
Statistics don't tell the whole story here, either. He totaled 39 assists in the five summer league games, including posting games with 12 and 10. Against 15 turnovers, that left him with a solid 2.6 assist-to-turnover ratio. Pullin piled in 21.0 points per game, but he shot just 42.6% from the floor and 35.7% from distance on 2.8 attempts per game. His 4.6 rebounds and 1.0 steals were impressive, but given Pullin’s age (25) he was fighting for rebounds with players up to seven years younger than him.
In fact, most of Pullin’s metrics were lower than his G League stats last season, when he averaged 27.8 points while shooting 58.0% from the floor and 55.0% from three on 3.6 attempts per game. He posted a 2.7 assist-to-turnover ratio and averaged 6.7 dishes and 5.1 boards per game. His performance in the G League led to his main roster call-up, though he only went on to play 43 minutes, many of which when games were already under control.
This leads to the question of why Pullin would have a better chance of making the roster after a summer league in which he arguably underperformed. The answer is relatively simple: the Wolves had their own checklist of things they wanted to see from Pullin, none of which could be seen in the counting statistics.
Bubes explained that in training camp prior to summer league:
Pullin's intangibles on full display in Las Vegas
“For Zyon it’s being a true point guard, leading the team in all the ways that arise. So that’s getting us into the offense, playing with pace, picking up full court and it’s something he’s been showing us he can do in the G League… he was kinda a sponge all playoffs, he’s got great chemistry with Rocco [Zikarsky] and Joan [Beringer] already, kind of coaching them so just being a true old school point guard”
The Wolves saw exactly what they needed from Pullin as a leader. He set up the offense every play, he communicated on defense, got the team into their rotations and brought what he learned from the NBA to Las Vegas with a veteran presence. His Iowa Wolves teammate Nate Santos spoke on what makes Pullin worthy of the late-season call-up prior to Summer League.
“He’s a great teammate, he’s a great leader so I think just seeing him succeed and get that call up, we were all happy for him. We know how hard he works, so it was definitely great to see”
Pullin displayed that leadership in the first summer league game. He dished out 12 assists in the 105-92 victory over the Pelicans, and Santos was on the receiving end of multiple passes, finishing with 20 points on 5-of-8 shooting. After the game, Pullin continued to show the leadership that earned him so much praise.
“Oh yeah, I love playing with him in Iowa and stuff like that. Just the way he shoots the ball, I tell him 'don’t dribble, you don’t need to dribble, just let it fly'… we all have max confidence in him shooting the ball”
It's intangibles that Pullin brings to the table for the Wolves, and it's the intangibles that were on display in Las Vegas, inspiring his teammates, instilling confidence in them and earning the coach’s trust to run the offense. Still, Pullin knows there is more room for him to grow.
“I think just keep being vocal, keep being a leader out there, keeping guys engaged and stuff like that. And then also just making the right play, whatever that may be”
The best case for Pullin to earn another 2-way contract or make the main roster is those hard-to-define traits: his leadership and his presence. The statistics likely will never do him justice, just as it never did a lot of the old school point guards justice.
Pullin knows he has to continue to improve, but for a Wolves team that lost so much veteran presence over the offseason, it makes a lot of sense to bring in a point guard who has proven he can be a game-changer for a rookie summer league head coach in Bubes.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nba/timberwolves/onsi as Zyon Pullin Brings the Timberwolves Main Roster Exactly What They Need.
