NEW YORK — The Minnesota Timberwolves selected University of Kentucky forward/center Karl-Anthony Towns with the first overall pick Thursday night at the NBA Draft.
Towns averaged 10.3 points and 6.7 rebounds in 39 games as a freshman and was the Southeastern Conference’s first-year player of the year. He helped Kentucky win its first 38 games before the Wildcats were upset by Wisconsin in the national semifinals.
Towns, widely regarded as the top prospect in the draft, is expected to improve the Timberwolves’ rim protection and space the floor for point guard Ricky Rubio and forward Andrew Wiggins. Minnesota had the worst record in the NBA last season and finished last in defensive efficiency, rim protection and defensive-rebounding percentage.
Towns was the third Kentucky player taken first overall in the past six years, joining New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis (2012) and Washington Wizards guard John Wall (2010).
The Los Angeles Lakers used the second overall pick on Ohio State freshman point guard D’Angelo Russell instead of Duke center Jahlil Okafor. Russell averaged 19.3 points, five assists and 5.7 rebounds in his only season for the Buckeyes.
Russell will join a team that has shooting guard Kobe Bryant nearing the end of his illustrious career.
“Kobe is a great dude,” Russell said. “Not knowing how much he has left in the tank is the scary thing, knowing how much he brings to the game and if he leaves what we’ll lose. But I’m really looking forward to him taking me under his wing.”
Okafor went third to the Philadelphia 76ers. In his only year at Duke, Okafor averaged 17.3 points and 8.5 rebounds. He was a first-team All-America selection and also was the first freshman to win Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year honors.
“My bread and butter is the post,” Okafor said. “That’s where I’ve always been, and that’s where I’m most effective.”
The New York Knicks, also coming of their worst season in franchise history, used the fourth pick on Latvian forward Kristaps Porzingis, who has played three pro seasons with Cajasol Sevilla in Spain’s ACB League.
The 6-foot-11 Porzingis averaged 10.7 points and 4.8 rebounds in 21.7 minutes per game last season. He shot 47.2 percent and made 32 percent from 3-point range.
At No. 5, the Orlando Magic picked shooting guard Mario Hezonja of Croatia. The 20-year-old played last season for Spanish club Barcelona and declared for the draft April 23, one day after his team was eliminated in the Euroleague competition.
The 6-foot-8 Hezonja has a decent wingspan and runs the floor well. He connected on 39.6 percent of his 3-point attempts.
The Sacramento Kings used the sixth pick on Kentucky forward/center Willie-Cauley Stein. In three seasons in the Wildcats’ frontcourt, Cauley-Stein averaged eight points and 6.2 rebounds per game while shooting 58.3 percent from the field.
Cauley-Stein also was the SEC’s Defensive Player of the Year and is the only player in Kentucky history to total 500 or more rebounds, 200 or more blocks and 100 or more steals.
The Denver Nuggets used the seventh pick on point guard Emmanuel Mudiay, who originally committed to play for Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown at Southern Methodist University before being ruled academically ineligible. He signed with China’s Guangdong Southern Tigers and averaged 18 points and 5.9 assists while being limited to 12 games last season.
The Detroit Pistons selected Arizona forward Stanley Johnson with the eighth pick. Johnson was the Pac-12’s Freshman of the Year, averaging 13.8 points and 6.5 rebounds.
The Pistons selected the 6-foot-7 Johnson to join a frontcourt that includes Andre Drummond but may not include Greg Monroe, who is a free agent and has been linked to the Knicks.
The Charlotte Hornets used the ninth pick on Frank Kaminsky. The Wisconsin forward was the first senior selected. Last season, he was the national college player of the year, and he helped the Badgers advance to the NCAA championship game by averaging 18.8 points on 54.7 percent shooting.
The Miami Heat used the 10th pick on Duke forward Justise Winslow, who averaged 12.6 points and 6.5 rebounds in his only season there.
The Indiana Pacers used the 11th pick on Texas center Myles Turner, a highly regarded shot blocker. In his only season with the Longhorns, Turner averaged 10.1 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.6 blocks.
The Utah Jazz used the 12th pick on forward Trey Lyles, the third Kentucky player to go in the first 12 selections. In his only season with the Wildcats, Lyles averaged 8.7 points and 5.2 rebounds, though he produced 10 points per game during the NCAA Tournament.
The Phoenix Suns used the 13th pick on guard Devin Booker, the fourth Kentucky player picked in the lottery. Booker averaged 10 points per game on 47 percent shooting. He will join a backcourt that contains former Wildcats Brandon Knight and Eric Bledsoe.
The Oklahoma City Thunder used the 14th pick on point guard Cameron Payne from Murray State. The Atlanta Hawks selected Kansas forward Kelly Oubre with the 15th pick but reportedly sent him to the Washington Wizards for the 19th pick. In his only season with the Jayhawks, Oubre averaged 9.3 points and five rebounds.
The Boston Celtics used the 16th pick on Louisville guard Terry Rozier to add to a backcourt that includes Avery Bradley, Isaiah Thomas and Marcus Smart. Rozier averaged 17.1 points last year and was projected to go toward the end of the first round.
The Milwaukee Bucks used the 17th pick on UNLV guard Rashad Vaughn. In his only season with the Runnin’ Rebels, Vaughn averaged 17.8 points.
The Houston Rockets used the 18th pick on Sam Dekker. The Wisconsin forward teamed with Kaminsky to lead the Badgers to the national title game and as a junior. He averaged 13.9 points and shot 41.7 from 3-point range during the NCAA Tournament.
The Washington Wizards used the 19th pick on Notre Dame guard Jerian Grant but reportedly will deal him to Atlanta for Oubre. Grant then reportedly will be sent to the Knicks for guard Tim Hardaway Jr.
The Toronto Raptors used the 20th pick on 6-foot-6 point guard Delon Wright from Utah.