Getty Images/Streeter Lecka
Hopefully Jahlil Okafor is high on the Minnesota Timberwolves, because they’re high on him.
As the NBA inches closer and closer to the June 25 draft, there is no definitive sense of who the Timberwolves will take with the No. 1 pick. Kentucky’s Karl-Anthony Towns has gained momentum as the top prospect in this year’s class, but Minnesota remains incredibly high on Duke’s Okafor, who was the consensus No. 1 pick ahead of the college season.
Chad Ford of ESPN.com describes the Timberwolves’ dilemma thusly (h/t Lakers Nation):
Karl-Anthony Towns is the No. 1-ranked player on my Big Board. However, virtually all the signals from sources inside the Wolves point to Jahlil Okafor being Flip Saunders’ favorite right now.
…
Workouts and interviews and lobbying from staff (I hear most of the rest of the staff favors Towns) could push Towns back atop. And after watching Towns’ workout Monday, I believe that the Wolves will figure this out in favor of Towns.
If Flip Saunders is the only one still gushing over Okafor, it’s only a matter of time before the Timberwolves overrule him and take Towns. The latter is viewed as the better long-term prospect, as someone who can dominate on the defensive end, as well as score both inside the post and from beyond the three-point line.
For the Timberwolves to roll the dice on another big with limited offensive range—they already have Gorgui Dieng and Nikola Pekovic in tow—the entire brain trust needs to be unanimous in its belief that Okafor is the next Tim Duncan or something.
Since that’s not the case, don’t read too much into this Okafor business—unless, you know, you really want the Timberwolves to draft Okafor and are hoping his fall from first-overall grace has an Andrew Wiggins-Joel Embiid smokescreen feel to it.
If that’s where you’re at, feel free to pray for Saunders to have the final say on whom the Timberwolves select once they’re on the clock.
Believe me when I say Los Angeles Lakers fans everywhere will be praying right along with you.
