The Lakers reportedly have their hearts set on drafting Jahlil Okafor with the number 2 pick this July. That’s good, because apparently the Timberwolves have made up their mind on who they will take first overall, and it isn’t Okafor.
Minnesota GM/coach Flip Saunders, who had been leaning toward Okafor, is said to have turned pro-Towns after seeing him last week in Los Angeles.
The splash sent ripples throughout the NBA. Says an insider: “There’s no doubt, the T-Wolves are taking Towns.”
You can’t blame Flip Saunders for liking what he sees from Karl-Anthony Towns. We knew he was an exciting talent out of Kentucky, but after seeing him in recent workouts, he could be even more than that. He’s just 19 years old, stands 6’11”, and has a 36.5 max vertical leap. That’s enough to get teams excited, and now scouts and GMs are watching him drill NBA threes and show off very some nice ball handling for a big man. Scouts are beyond excited at this points, they’re salivating.
Towns could be one of the best players we’ve seen in recent history. Okafor will likely be an incredible player as well, and could wind up being better than Towns. It’s too early to tell. However, right now, I’d take Towns, and I think the Timberwolves are making a good decision.
