JUNE 25 (Reuters) — The Minnesota Timberwolves are expected make versatile big man Karl-Anthony Towns of Kentucky the top pick in Thursday’s NBA Draft where a deep pool of U.S. College and international talent are up for grabs.
Towns, who can play power forward or center at 6-foot-11, can shoot from the outside, score inside and is a superior defender — readymade for the NBA wars.
One day ahead of the draft, during media availability in New York City on Wednesday (June 24), Towns said being picked first is not the most important thing.
“It’s not that important for me. I just want to go and make my mark on any organization I’m picked to and fortunate enough to play for,” he said. “If I go one, two, 59, 60, wherever team I go to, I’m gonna just be the best player I can possibly be for the team and help us try to win championships.”
The Los Angeles Lakers holds the second pick among the 30 NBA teams while the Philadelphia 76ers, New York Knicks and Orlando Magic round out the top five.
Big men might dominate the early picks as Duke center Jahlil Okafor and Latvian power forward Kristaps Porzingis of the Spanish league, rising up many experts’ draft lists, figure to go high in the two-round draft at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Okafor is seen as the draft’s most polished low post scorer, but needs to improve on defense. Okafor also met with the Timberwolves.
“I got the opportunity to meet Kevin Garnett who I’m a big fan of. They are all excited. They have a new facility. They are excited. They have a young team. Andrew Wiggins, Rookie of the Year, Zach LaVine just won a dunk contest. There is a lot of excitement going around the Minnesota Timberwolves,” he said.
Porzingis is an outside shooter with the ability to protect the rim but may need to bulk up for the rigors of the NBA game.
“Definitely, I’m skinny,” said Porzingis. “But I can use my length as an advantage on defense. I need to put some weight on; I’ll be working in the weight room a lot. Definitely one of the things I need to get better at, stronger at. I think in the long run, I won’t have a problem with that.”
The crop of guards features D’Angelo Russell of Ohio State, Emmanuel Mudiay, who played in China last year while awaiting his NBA eligibility, and Croatia shooting guard Mario Hezonja.
Russell said he is taking Thursday’s life-changing draft day all in stride.
“Tomorrow is a big day. Obviously something everybody has dreamed about. But just to be in that category of the guys that really get to make it a reality is unbelievable.”
Mudiay said, “It’s definitely a blessing. I know my life is going to change. It kind of already changed in a perspective because I played professional last year. So I kind of made that transition. But this is the NBA. It’s different. But I’m kind of amused, a little bit used to the press, all that stuff, just because I played one year in professional in China. It was the same way. The only difference is I had a translator right next to me. But other than that, basketball wise, I’m confident. I’m going to just go in there, work hard and do what I can do.”
However, Mudiay’s shooting ability has been questioned.
“If I miss two in a row, I’m gonna come back. But the thing is, I’ve been a driver my whole life. So, they gotta stop me from driving. If I can drive, stop me from that first, then I’ll start shooting. But I’m confident in my shot,” he said.
Justise Winslow, a 6-6 forward from U.S. college champions Duke, is also highly regarded.
Teams rate a prospective player’s potential against their own needs in making a pick, leaving question marks about how the first round will unfold.
Trades also tend to feature on draft night with some clubs determined to move up for a particular player with others content to slide down for a later choice while adding a veteran in return or stockpiling future picks.
There are no certainties, of course, and often a jewel of a player can be snared after the top picks.
Last season’s NBA Most Valuable Player, Stephen Curry of the league champion Golden State Warriors, was taken seventh in the 2009 draft.
Hasheem Thabeet from Tanzania and the University of Connecticut, taken second that year behind Blake Griffin, averaged 2.2 points a game in five NBA seasons and is now in the NBA Development League.
Kobe Bryant, the Lakers’ prolific scorer, was taken 13th out of high school in 1996, while Michael Jordan heard Sam Bowie’s name called ahead of his by Portland before the Chicago Bulls selected him with the third pick in 1984.
