Poll: Who should the Wolves take with the #1 overall pick?

[jpatrick]

Things can change, but the vibe I get is that it's Okafor's spot to lose. I hope I'm wrong.

[Takingbaconback]

We should revote some time before the draft. I feel like the poll will be closer

[AQuintus]

I feel like the poll will be closer

Why? Okafor hasn't suddenly become better since the season ended and Towns hasn't become worse.

[mondry]

I think the 70 / 30 split we're seeing is pretty accurate but /shrug.

[Takingbaconback]

I feel like the poll will be closer

Why? Okafor hasn't suddenly become better since the season ended and Towns hasn't become worse.

Cuz that 3 to 1 split was established on day 1 and some people have gone back and forth with the choice. It probably will maintain though, just a thought.

[AQuintus]

Jon K seems to think that Towns' 3-point shooting puts Towns over the top:

[tweet]https://twitter.com/APkrawczynski/status/604395165000708097[/tweet]

But Doogie is still skeptical:

[tweet]https://twitter.com/DWolfsonKSTP/status/604393456186695680[/tweet]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/DWolfsonKSTP/status/604396280006107136[/tweet]

[Merc_Porto]

The poll can be edited to chance the vote.

[Crazy-Canuck]

SI.com on "stretch" Towns...

We didn't see the full version of Towns at Kentucky​. It is a pre-draft rite of passage for big men who didn't shoot many jumpers in college to claim to have that skill in their arsenal—that it was merely under-showcased. Most of the time this is nonsense, an agent's ploy to boost draft stock. But in the case of Towns, who attempted just eight treys as a Kentucky freshman, there's reason to believe he could eventually become Stretch-Towns in the NBA, and not just because of his pure stroke from the free-throw line.

During the NCAA tournament, I was interviewing Dave Turco, Towns' high-school coach from St. Joseph's (Metuchen, N.J.), and brought up the topic of his limited three-point opportunities as a Wildcat. That Towns had attempted just eight, Turco said, "Is insane, because I'm telling you, that's his best shot. He can knock down threes."

And Towns is not just a practice shooter: In three years at St. Joseph's, Towns made 127 treys, and his senior season, he shot 51.6% from deep. When he played for the Dominican Republic's U17 team in 2011, he shot 45.5% (10-of-22) on FIBA-length threes. And there were occasional glimpses of this in Lexington, like this fluid, corner catch-and-shoot against Eastern Kentucky in December:



Kentucky big men under John Calipari are not typically green-lit to take threes, and Calipari felt that Towns, even with his past as a shooter, was more valuable to the Wildcats playing near the rim. Towns' development as an interior force at Kentucky is what put him in the No. 1-pick conversation, so that strategy didn't hurt his stock one bit, but it does seem probable that he can take on an expanded offensive role.

http://www.si.com/nba/2015/05/29/nba-draft-karl-anthony-towns-jahlil-okafor-frank-kaminsky-delon-wright

If Flip sees KAT as more of that weakside shotblocking stretch 4, then the choice becomes cloudier for me because I think Kat gets roasted as a C in this league.

[Worm Guts]

Things can change, but the vibe I get is that it's Okafor's spot to lose. I hope I'm wrong.

I was listening post interview and Barreiro seemed to indicate that he was good with the guy Flip had #1. Barreiro ranks Towns #1 and Okafor #3.

[TRKO]

I think that graph that charts NBA big men's ability to shoot Free Throws against their block percentage says it all. Towns could be a player that you can't compare to any previous players. There is not a player that is that good at rim protection and defense that can hit the three consistently. It seems like a match up nightmare. The more and more I compare Okafor and Towns the more it is so obvious Towns needs to be the pick.

Serge Ibaka is someone who can protect the rim and hit threes.

[AQuintus]

I think Kat gets roasted as a C in this league.

Why? Half the Cs in the league are basically 90s era 4s. The time of the massive C is over. In the last few years Chris Bosh, KG, Tyson Chandler, Joakim Noah, and Nerlens Noel have all had a lot of success playing the 5.

[urinesane]

SI.com on "stretch" Towns...

We didn't see the full version of Towns at Kentucky​. It is a pre-draft rite of passage for big men who didn't shoot many jumpers in college to claim to have that skill in their arsenal—that it was merely under-showcased. Most of the time this is nonsense, an agent's ploy to boost draft stock. But in the case of Towns, who attempted just eight treys as a Kentucky freshman, there's reason to believe he could eventually become Stretch-Towns in the NBA, and not just because of his pure stroke from the free-throw line.

During the NCAA tournament, I was interviewing Dave Turco, Towns' high-school coach from St. Joseph's (Metuchen, N.J.), and brought up the topic of his limited three-point opportunities as a Wildcat. That Towns had attempted just eight, Turco said, "Is insane, because I'm telling you, that's his best shot. He can knock down threes."

And Towns is not just a practice shooter: In three years at St. Joseph's, Towns made 127 treys, and his senior season, he shot 51.6% from deep. When he played for the Dominican Republic's U17 team in 2011, he shot 45.5% (10-of-22) on FIBA-length threes. And there were occasional glimpses of this in Lexington, like this fluid, corner catch-and-shoot against Eastern Kentucky in December:



Kentucky big men under John Calipari are not typically green-lit to take threes, and Calipari felt that Towns, even with his past as a shooter, was more valuable to the Wildcats playing near the rim. Towns' development as an interior force at Kentucky is what put him in the No. 1-pick conversation, so that strategy didn't hurt his stock one bit, but it does seem probable that he can take on an expanded offensive role.

http://www.si.com/nba/2015/05/29/nba-draft-karl-anthony-towns-jahlil-okafor-frank-kaminsky-delon-wright

If Flip sees KAT as more of that weakside shotblocking stretch 4, then the choice becomes cloudier for me because I think Kat gets roasted as a C in this league.

So because he can step out and shoot, that somehow makes him worse defensively? That's what you took away from that article?

How exactly does having the size to play Center in the NBA (7' 250lbs), but with the ability to step out and shoot 3's some how put him in a position to "get roasted" by other Centers?

His body doesn't somehow stop being on par with most NBA centers physically just because he can stretch the floor on offense. Sure there may be some heavier guys that could push him around early in his career, but he's not undersized by any means. He will probably fill out more too, I mean the guy is 7' and 250lbs at 19. Dwight Howard at 29 only has 15 lbs on him... and Towns is already a much better player offensively than Dwight.

[Takingbaconback]

I think Kat gets roasted as a C in this league.

Why? Half the Cs in the league are basically 90s era 4s. The time of the massive C is over. In the last few years Chris Bosh, KG, Tyson Chandler, Joakim Noah, and Nerlens Noel have all had a lot of success playing the 5.

If KAT is getting roasted as a C, Okafor is getting demolished. He is a full inch shorter than KAT. How many centers is he taller than in the NBA today?

[MinneOOPalis]

I think Kat gets roasted as a C in this league.

Why? Half the Cs in the league are basically 90s era 4s. The time of the massive C is over. In the last few years Chris Bosh, KG, Tyson Chandler, Joakim Noah, and Nerlens Noel have all had a lot of success playing the 5.

So we are just going to ignore guys like Gobert, Marc, Bogut, Jordan, and Cousins? The best centers are still huge.

[Crazy-Canuck]

Kat has those spindly legs with a big upper body.

Bosh, Chandler, etc.. are lean guys top to bottom. KAt isn't. Their body shapes arent even comparable.

He has bantam weight legs trying to carry a heavy weights upper frame.

[Takingbaconback]

Kat has those spindly legs with a big upper body.

Bosh, Chandler, etc.. are lean guys top to bottom. KAt isn't. Their body shapes arent even comparable.

He has bantam weight legs trying to carry a heavy weights upper frame.

Another example of how Town detractors really make the strangest and most irrelevant points. Really being skinny everywhere like Chandler is better than having a strong upper body and having legs that he can develop into stronger muscles?

What are you saying? He's going to tip over and break his legs because he's got a better upper body than guys like Bosh and Chandler?

He's not fat albert up top and Barbie doll down low. His bottom half is not Tyson Chandler either

[wildvikeswolves]

Kat has those spindly legs with a big upper body.

Bosh, Chandler, etc.. are lean guys top to bottom. KAt isn't. Their body shapes arent even comparable.

He has bantam weight legs trying to carry a heavy weights upper frame.

Another example of how Town detractors really make the strangest and most irrelevant points. Really being skinny everywhere like Chandler is better than having a strong upper body and having legs that he can develop into stronger muscles?

What are you saying? He's going to tip over and break his legs because he's got a better upper body than guys like Bosh and Chandler? What exactly is the point of your statement?

He's not fat albert up top and Barbie doll down low. His bottom half is not Tyson Chandler either

that picture cannot be real...

[Crazy-Canuck]

It isn't.

This is the original.

[Takingbaconback]

It isn't.

This is the original.

My bad, just put up the first one I could find. Regardless there's no point to criticizing Towns' figure. He is fluid, mobile, and the physique looks great for a young player.

[Krapinsky]

I feel like the poll will be closer

Why? Okafor hasn't suddenly become better since the season ended and Towns hasn't become worse.

I agree with TBB. It's just the how the wave of media scrutiny goes from one player to another. Okafor was the runaway #1 but couldn't hold up to the scrutiny. Towns has got pretty much a free pass so far. No one mentions how he was held out of games at the beginning of the year, how he wasn't deemed aggressive enough, and how he scored like 4 points or less in 7 games this year. D'angelo has a DX video devoted to his strengths and completely ignores any weaknesses. So I have a feeling the wind is going to blow back the other way a bit and judging by some articles I've read lately hyping Okafor, I'd say it's already begun.