LAS VEGAS – It took all of one possession for Timberwolves rookie Joan Beringer to excite the fan base. The 17th overall pick in this year’s draft, who the Wolves project will need some time to develop before he plays regular rotation minutes, came out of the gate swatting shots left and right in his Summer League debut, a 98-91 Wolves win over the Pelicans. Beringer blocked two shots on the first possession of the game, and finished with seven, tying a Summer League record. It was an impressive debut for the French rookie, who also scored 11 points on 5-for-6 shooting to go with eight rebounds. “I don’t even have to explain, y’all see it,” guard Rob Dillingham said of Beringer. “He was like that since the first day. He plays hard, run the floor, take coaching well and he plays with everybody. … He’s gonna be special.” Beringer’s debut was everything the Wolves could have hoped for. Strong Summer League performances don’t always translate to the main league, but it was easy to see how Beringer’s quickness and his athleticism would fit in the NBA as he continues to learn a game he has only been playing seriously since 2021. “I’m always thinking about how I can impact the game. My defense I think is the biggest thing,” Beringer said. Beringer said he looks up to his countryman Rudy Gobert, but the way he plays is different. Beringer, who played soccer before converting to basketball only about four years ago, has ample quickness that allows him to eat space in the paint and recover off double teams in time to block shots, as he did Thursday. Wolves assistant coach Kevin Hanson, who is helming the Summer League squad, raved about Beringer’s instincts. “He’s got great timing. He’s always got his hands ready,” Hanson said. “He has unbelievable timing, I saw it right off the jump on both ends of the floor, really. His ability to catch lobs, good hands, and that was impressive, especially going against a starting center in [Yves] Missi.”