Who is Timberwolves forward Anthony Tolliver?
Minnesota Timberwolves fans likely remember Anthony Tolliver’s two-year stint at the Target Center from 2010-12. But where has he been since then?
The better question may be: Where has he not been?
Tolliver is the definition of a journeyman forward in the NBA, never playing more than two straight years with the same team. A 10-year NBA veteran, Tolliver has spent three seasons with Detroit (2014-16, 2017-18), two years (soon to be three) with Minnesota (2010-12) and other stints of one season or less with Sacramento, Charlotte, Atlanta, Golden State, Phoenix, San Antonio and Portland.
He also signed a 10-day contract in 2009 with New Orleans but did not appear in a game.
Whew.
Despite the journeyman status, Tolliver is nowhere near finished at age 33. He proved it last season in Detroit, tallying some of the most impressive statistics in his career.
Tolliver’s 8.9 points per game were his most since he averaged 12.3 per contest as a 24-year-old in 44 games with Golden State (2009-10). His 5.3 win shares -- an estimate of how many victories a player contributes to a team -- was also a career best, and the forward was one of seven reserves in the NBA to average under 23 minutes per game but post 5+ WS.
Tolliver also set new career marks in 3-point makes (159), 3-point attempts (365) and 3-point percentage (43.6). All three of those numbers from beyond the arc would have led the Timberwolves last season.
TALE OF THE TAPE
Tolliver has a knack for going viral.
He and Michael Beasley are responsible for possibly the most iconic moment in Timberwolves history, trailing only Kevin Garnett’s jump onto the scorer’s table after winning 2004 Western Conference semifinals.
An exaggeration, sure. But it’s still hilarious.
https://youtu.be/397KGshRNYI
And who could forget Tolliver’s spoof of LeBron James’ “The Decision” in 2010? Posted a month after LeBron’s television special announced the King was taking his talents to South Beach, Tolliver made his plans known he was signing with Minnesota. The production value was slightly cheaper than James’ 75-minute broadcast, but it still earned Tolliver almost a half-million views on YouTube.
We present to you “The Decision -- Part Deux, because ‘deux’ is French for ‘two.’”
https://youtu.be/fvL5KRoXC00
QUICK FACTS
-- Tolliver serves as the secretary-treasurer for the NBPA and has been on the executive committee since August 2013.
-- He scored a career-high 34 points against Minnesota on April 7, 2010. That game marked the 1,333rd career win for then-Golden State head coach Don Nelson, pushing him past Lenny Wilkens for the most career wins as an NBA coach.
-- Tolliver’s career high in rebounds also occurred in 2010 with the Warriors when he grabbed 21 boards against the Dallas Mavericks on March 27.
-- Tom Thibodeau will be the third coach Tolliver plays for in Minnesota. Kurt Rambis sunk the Wolves to a 17-65 record in 2010-11 and was replaced by Rick Adelman the following year.
-- He’s known as “AT” around the NBA, but Tolliver was dubbed “A Train” growing up and while playing college ball at Creighton.
-- Tolliver earned a finance degree at Creighton in four years.
-- He’s good buddies with Golden State guard and two-time NBA MVP Steph Curry. The two played together with the Warriors in 2009-10, Curry’s rookie season.
-- Tolliver wrapped up his prep career by winning a Missouri state title at Kickapoo High School – the same high school famous actor Brad Pitt attended in the 1980s.