Former Catamount To Bid For Spot on Minnesota Timberwolves Summer League Team

BURLINGTON, VT --- Former University of Vermont basketball player Trevor Gaines has been invited to the mini-camp of the Minnesota Timberwolves, which begins tomorrow at the Target Center in Minneapolis.

The 6-foot-7 Gaines is one of 18 players the NBA team has invited to their five-day camp. Following the mini-camp, the Timberwolves will field a contingent to participate in the Shaw’s NBA Pro Summer League 2002, which runs from July 15th to the 21st at the Clark Athletic Center at the University of Massachusetts in Boston.

Gaines concluded an outstanding collegiate career in March, finishing third all-time at UVM in rebounds and 13th in scoring. Last season he was named to the America East all-conference first team after leading the Catamounts to a school-record 21 wins and their first-ever conference regular season championship. The conference leader in rebounds, he also finished seventh in the nation averaging 11.0 per game.

The Farmington Hills, Michigan native is the first Catamount to attend an NBA camp since Kevin Roberson in 1992. That year, Roberson attended the preseason camp of the Charlotte Hornets and appeared in several exhibition games. Roberson received another invitation to the Hornets’ camp but was tragically killed in May of 1993 by a drunk driver in his native Buffalo, NY.

The Shaw's Pro Summer League, hosted by the Boston Celtics, includes entries from the Atlanta Hawks, Milwaukee Bucks, New Jersey Nets, New York Knicks, Orlando Magic, Philadelphia 76ers, San Antonio Spurs, and Washington Wizards, in addition to the Timberwolves and the Celtics. Minnesota will open the Summer League against New York on July 16 (6 pm), followed by games against New Jersey (July 17, noon), Washington (July 18, noon), Philadelphia (July 19, 3 pm), Atlanta (July 20, 3 pm EDT), and Orlando (July 21, 6 pm).

Click here for the complete Minnesota Timberwolves mini-camp roster.