The NBA Draft is still three days away, but the Minnesota Timberwolves have a luxury other teams don’t. Selecting first overall, Flip Saunders and company have their pick of every prospect in the 2015 class. And according to Adam Zagoria of zagsblog.com, the ‘Wolves decision to draft Karl-Anthony Towns is all but officially final.
“It’s done, he’s going to Minnesota,” the source said. “[Minnesota President and coach] Flip Saunders was big on Jahlil Okafor for a minute there and after Karl came in [on Saturday], he decided to work out for them. He only worked out for them and it’s a wrap. It’s a wrap. They just told him they’re going to take him No. 1.”
The Kentucky product has emerged as something close to the consensus top player in his class during the pre-draft process. Though it was rumored that Saunders initially preferred Duke’s Jahlil Okafor upon his team gaining the number one pick, other Minny staffers reportedly began to sway him in the direction of Towns.
And it seems the 19-year-old’s workout with the Timberwolves over the weekend sealed the deal.
Karl-Anthony Towns has finished his workout with the Timberwolves. No surprise, but sounds like it went very well.
— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) June 20, 2015
Have zero reason to doubt @AdamZagoria report that Wolves have told Towns he's the pick. He's been at top of board for weeks
— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) June 22, 2015
We projected Towns to Minnesota immediately following the lottery, and he’s been at the top of our draft board since before the college season ended in early April.
His combination of size, athleticism, skill, and defensive instincts are without par in this class, and even rare for upper-echelon interior prospects of the past. The seven-footer will make an immediate impact for the Timberwolves next season as a rim-protector first and foremost, but should still prove a capable threat as a ball-screen diver or popper as his offensive comfort continues to grow.
Luck matters in basketball far more than anyone cares to admit – from the perspective of individual games and big picture team-building. By becoming the first franchise with the best odds to win the lottery since 2004, fortune sided with Minnesota. And by adding Towns to a core led by reigning Rookie of the Year Andrew Wiggins, the ‘Wolves stand to emerge as one of the league’s best young teams in the next several years.
[Via zagsblog.com, via Jon Krawczynski]
