Feature Story

Iowa Wolves find winning formula

By Cyote Williams

11/4/2026

No. 18 Jalen Crutcher will be back with the Wolves this season. He averaged 18.4 points, six assists and 3.2 rebounds last year.
Photo by Amara Gerlach

The Iowa Wolves found some much-needed success last season. In recent years, despite an increase in success from the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Wolves struggled to put together winning seasons. The last time the Wolves had more wins than losses was during the 2015-16 season. That was back when the Wolves weren’t the Wolves, as some die-hard fans would recall. They were the Iowa Energy.

So, what changed? Well, the brand changed from the Energy to the Wolves heading into the 2017-2018 season, so that’s not it. More likely, almost certainly, it was the hiring of Head Coach Mahmoud Abdelfattah. After 10 straight losing seasons, Abdelfattah led the Wolves to a 21-15 record in the regular season and an 8-6 record in the Showcase Cup.

Abdelfattah’s impact

“Number one, it starts with the guys that we have in the locker room, and the front office did a great job bringing in the right guys that made up the Iowa Wolves,” Abdelfattah said on the team’s performances last season.

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“The answer is as simple as that. The guys were willing to buy into what we were trying to do. From day one, going into training camp, we talked about the history of the organization and how we wanted to be the first to accomplish making the playoffs, and trying to make a deep run in the playoffs as well.”

Abdelfattah came in with a great resume, winning a G League championship with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers in 2022, as well as winning G League Coach of the Year that same season. This offseason, he was selected to be the head coach of the NBA G League United team that competed at the FIBA International Cup in Beijing, China. Led by Abdelfattah, the G League United team won gold at the tournament, the first U.S. team to win the competition since 1974.

The Iowa Wolves, led by Head Coach Mahmoud Abdelfattah, helped lead the Wolves to a 21-15 record in 2025-26, their first winning record in 10 seasons. Photo by Dylan Heuer

While he was quick to take the praise off himself and put it on his players, fellow coaches and the front office, his influence was clearly felt. His goal of being the first Iowa Wolves team to make the playoffs was realized. The squad fell short of making a deep playoff run, falling as the No. 6 seed to the No. 3 seed Stockton Kings in the first round. The Kings would eventually make the finals, taking some of the sting out of the Wolves’ early exit.

One aspect of the G League he was familiar with already during his time with the Vipers was dealing with an ever-changing roster. Players are consistently moving from the G League to the NBA and vice versa.

“We all understand what the G League is about. It’s not where anyone wants to spend the rest of their career, but everyone uses it as a stepping stone. We’re gonna do our best to invest in you guys and help you improve every single day. At the end of the day, when your numbers are called, you have to be ready,” Abdelfattah said.

The G League is a legitimate path for many players to make the NBA. About 51% of players in the NBA had spent time in the G League. For Abdelfattah, that means his players are likely not going to be under his tutelage for long, but he is still working with some of the best basketball talent in the world on a nightly basis.

“Because, at the end of the day, all these coaches and scouts, whether it’s the NBA or overseas, they’re going to call and ask about each player. And the number one thing that they ask is, what is his work ethic, and how was he to a coach? They don’t ask about his numbers. They can Google that. They don’t ask about how he was as a player. They all have access to the film,” Abdelfattah said.

For the fans, that means they get to witness some of the best basketball players in the world right here in Des Moines for a fraction of the price it would cost to attend an NBA game. The G League is a pipeline to the NBA, and Abdelfattah has his players performing at a higher level than Iowa Wolves fans have seen in a decade.

The Wolves pipeline leads to the Timberwolves, a team that saw a roster shakeup itself this offseason. The Minnesota squad will likely play faster than they have in recent years after trading Naz Reid for Lamelo Ball, so expect Abdelfattah’s Wolves to reflect their play this season.

No. 44 Rocco Zicarsky averaged 15.8 points, 9.9 rebounds and 2.8 blocks in 28 games for the Iowa Wolves last season. Photo by Amara Gerlach

The players

Despite being in a league where the teams are changing constantly, the Wolves had some mainstays last season who made the season a successful one.

Jules Bernard started 30 games last year, scoring 23.6 points per game with 5.8 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 1.1 steals. Bernard signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Timberwolves in September, meaning they can either secure a player’s G League rights or convert it into a two-way contract.

Jalen Crutcher was another solid starter last year, starting in 31 games and averaging 18.4 points, six assists and 3.2 rebounds.

Enrique Freeman started 28 games, averaging 17.6 points and nine rebounds. Rocco Zikarsky started 25 games, averaging 15.8 points, 9.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists.

The Wolves were able to get great production out of their starters, but Abdelfattah also shined praise on the players coming off the bench.

“I give credit to the guys that were at the back of the bench because it’s always most difficult for them when assignments and two-ways come down and their minutes are the ones that fluctuate the most. So having guys like Donte Ingram, Martez Brown, CJ Fulton, DeJuan Harris Jr., Nojel Eastern — they were the biggest plus,” Abdelfattah said.

Abdelfattah pointed to a game this season where, due to roster challenges G League teams can face, the Wolves only had eight players in uniform. Ingram, who averaged seven points a game, scored 27 to help lead them to victory against the Maine Celtics.

“Without that game, I mean, who knows? We might not even make the playoffs if it wasn’t for a game like that,” Abdelfattah said.

The Iowa Wolves partner with several local charities and Des Moines Public Schools. Their Read to Achieve program gives DMPS students a chance to win tickets to games. Photo by Amara Gerlach

At the time of this interview, who the Wolves would have on their opening day roster was still unclear. Some of the Timberwolves’ younger talent might be in Iowa early. Or they might be here later. Depending on their preseason performances, they could make the NBA roster. Abdelfattah was able to confirm that Nate Santos, Jules Bernad and Jalen Crutcher would be returning.

Fan experience

Fans attending Iowa Wolves games this summer will notice an immediate difference. The Wolves are celebrating their 10-year anniversary with a new brand identity. The new logos and jerseys pay homage to the 2000 Timberwolves colors and branding, bringing some of the old in with the new.

For more information on the new look, and what fans can expect in terms of promotions and specialty nights, we spoke to Director of Marketing Desiree Miller.

“This year, we have a new court since we rebranded alongside the Timberwolves earlier this summer. Brand new jerseys. There’s a lot of energy around the refreshed look and feel. We’re entering our 10th anniversary season as the Iowa Wolves, which is really exciting, and all this newness gives us a reason to make it big,” Miller said.

One of the ways they will be reintroducing the Wolves to Des Moines is through their fan fest. On Nov. 3, the Wolves invited the public in to see the new changes. Fans were able to watch the players working out and shooting around, do a meet and great with the players, see the redone retail store, and experience Alpha’s (the Wolves mascot) Pup Playground with inflatables for kids.

“We’re trying to invite the community in to come in and interact with the brand and the team in the way that they probably haven’t had access to before because we haven’t done something like this in quite some time,” Miller said.

Sports, in general, are becoming more accessible online with more ways to watch, but the Wolves are working to show people that you can’t beat coming in person to see your favorite players hit the hardwood.

“Live sports is one of the last places that you can have real experiences with people in real time. You can watch TV all day, you can stream things, everything’s so instant, everybody’s on their phones. But one thing you have to experience live is sports, right?” Miller said.

This season, fans at Wolves games can experience six theme nights. They are Girls Got Game on November, celebrating the power and influence in the community. Hoops and Hobbies, centered around collectibles and memorabilia from various hobbies. Move with the Pack is focused on activity and wellness. Basketball for All is dedicated to creating an inclusive and accessible game for fans of all abilities. State Fair Day goes without saying, bringing fair food and interactive fair-themed events, and even a butter sculpture. Best Field Trip Ever, also known as education day, will blend live sports with curriculum-aligned learning for students and educators.

Among those nights, there will also be Hoops for Troops, the Howliday game, Harry Potter Day, Hispanic Heritage Night, to name a few.

The Wolves are also continuing the Read to Achieve program.

“We’re challenging all the students to participate and read 500 minutes throughout the season. Teachers get to sign up and have their kids engaged and have them work toward something, and, in the end, they get a gift bag for them with a couple of tickets to attend our school day game,” Miller said.

Since the program began five years ago, more than 12,000 Iowa students have participated.

Also happening this season, the Wolves are doing Casey’s Swish for Schools, where every time a three-pointer is made, Casey’s makes a donation to Des Moines Public Schools.

Basketball is big in Iowa, maybe not quite as big as wrestling or football, but still big, nonetheless. With Caitlin Clark’s meteoric rise into superstardom and the state’s public universities all tending to have mens and womens basketball programs ranging from good to elite, the sport is growing in Iowa, and the Wolves are turning their own performances around, too.

“Basketball is such a great sport. And it’s so entertaining. There’s this entertainment value that really matters in minor league sports specifically. Because seeing a slam dunk is just so different from watching anything else in life. So, figuring out a way to turn that game entertainment into something that is really accessible for families is important. These winters can be long sometimes. Knowing that there’s somewhere I can go and experience this with my family is the relief that we want to provide to the community,” Miller said.

Miller added she is excited to provide families with an exciting and affordable game-day experience. Coach Abdelfattah is also eager to share the court and the Casey’s Center with Iowa Wolves for another season.

“I just truly love being a part of the Timberwolves organization. This is going into my ninth year on the professional side of coaching, and I truly feel like I’m taken care of as a head coach, and I’m excited to be able to work for the organization. I’m just looking forward to another year, and, hopefully, you know, we can have a good start to the season with the showcase and make the showcase cup. And then, hopefully, make another run in the regular season, make the playoffs, and make a deep run in the playoffs,” Abdelfattah said. ♦