MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -The Minnesota Timberwolves addressed their biggest need immediately in the NBA draft on Thursday night, selecting Syracuse forward Wesley Johnson with their first pick and fourth overall.
The 6-foot-7 Johnson averaged 16.5 points and 8.5 rebounds and was a first-team All-American in his only season with the Orange. He transferred there after two seasons at Iowa State and sat out 2008-09 while Timberwolves point guard Jonny Flynn was starring for Syracuse.
“You know I’m happy!” Flynn tweeted. “That’s my bro!”
The Timberwolves also had pick Nos. 16 and 23 in the first round. They also could use some help at center and chose Johnson over Kentucky big man DeMarcus Cousins, who went to Sacramento right after Johnson.
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Johnson, who will turn 23 in July, would seem to fit that mold. He averaged 1.8 blocks and 1.7 steals and shot 41.5 percent from 3-point range last season.
“Wesley is both an incredibly talented player and an outstanding young man,” Kahn said in a statement provided by the team. “He’ll bring some much-needed length, athleticism and shooting ability to our roster and will be an important piece to the puzzle as we continue to build a nucleus of young talent.”
The Timberwolves entered this draft determined to make a big impact on a team that is sorely lacking difference-making players. The team won just 15 games last year, second-fewest in the league, but again couldn’t find any luck in the lottery and dropped down to No. 4 in the draft.
Ohio State’s Evan Turner would have been the perfect fit the Wolves, who are aching for the dominant wing player to fit into coach Kurt Rambis’s version of the triangle offense Phil Jackson perfected with the Bulls and Lakers.
Turner went to Philadelphia at No. 2 and Georgia Tech forward Derrick Favors went to New Jersey at No. 3.
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