Timberwolves sign 2015 NBA Draft picks Towns and Jones
Timberwolves Sign 2015 NBA Draft Picks Karl-Anthony Towns and Tyus Jones
The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced the team has signed forward/center Karl-Anthony Towns, the 1st overall selection in the 2015 NBA Draft out of the University of Kentucky, and guard Tyus Jones, the 24th overall selection in the 2015 NBA Draft out of Duke University. The Wolves acquired the rights to Jones from the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for the draft rights to forwards Cedi Osman from Turkey and Rakeem Christmas from Syracuse, and Minnesota’s second-round pick in the 2019 NBA Draft.
Fans will have the first chance to see Towns and Jones in action at the Timberwolves Summer Showcase at Target Center on July 8 at 7 p.m. This free event is open to the general public and features the Wolves 2015 NBA Summer League roster. Following the scrimmage, Timberwolves members will have access to an exclusive autograph session with the team.
Towns, a 6-11 forward/center, averaged 10.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.26 blocks and 21.1 minutes in 39 games (all starts) for the Wildcats this past season and was named SEC Freshman of the Year and First Team All-SEC. He shot 56.6 percent from the field, 81.3 percent from the free-throw line and recorded a team-best eight double-doubles. Towns was a Consensus Second Team All-American and was named NCAA Midwest Region Most Valuable Player after leading Kentucky to the Final Four. He scored a career-high 25 points, on 10-of-13 shooting, to lead the Wildcats past Notre Dame in the Elite Eight.
A native of Piscataway, New Jersey, Towns was a three time first-team All-State selection while playing for St. Joseph High School in Metuchen, New Jersey. He was named Gatorade Male High School Athlete of the Year in 2014 after averaging 20.9 points, 13.4 rebounds and 6.2 blocks and leading St. Joseph to a 30-2 record and a state title. Towns shot 66.1 percent from the field and 82.2 percent from the free-throw line as a senior. He made 127 three pointers over his three-year high school career.
Jones, a 6-1 point guard, led Duke to the NCAA Championship this past season, averaging 11.8 points, , a team-high 5.6 assists and 3.5 rebounds in his freshman year. He was selected as the Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Tournament, averaging 13.0 points, 4.5 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.7 steals in six games. He tallied a game-high 23 points in the title game vs. Wisconsin, hitting two pivotal three-pointers in the closing minutes of the game. Jones was named to the All-ACC Freshman Team and the All-ACC Third Team. He established a Duke record first year players with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.86:1. Jones’ total assists of 217 rank third all-time among Duke freshmen.
Jones was a five-year letterwinner at Apple Valley (Minn.) High School, where he averaged 25.6 points, 8.1 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 2.7 steals as a senior. He led his team to the 2013 Class AAAA state title as a junior and was named AP Minnesota Player of the Year three times.
Towns and Jones will make their Wolves debut at the Samsung NBA Summer League 2015, which takes place in Las Vegas from July 10-20. Minnesota's first game is against the Los Angeles Lakers on July 10 at the Thomas & Mack Center at 7:30 p.m. CT.
Fans will have the first chance to see Towns and Jones in action at the Timberwolves Summer Showcase at Target Center on July 8 at 7 p.m. This free event is open to the general public and features the Wolves 2015 NBA Summer League roster. Following the scrimmage, Timberwolves members will have access to an exclusive autograph session with the team.
Towns, a 6-11 forward/center, averaged 10.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.26 blocks and 21.1 minutes in 39 games (all starts) for the Wildcats this past season and was named SEC Freshman of the Year and First Team All-SEC. He shot 56.6 percent from the field, 81.3 percent from the free-throw line and recorded a team-best eight double-doubles. Towns was a Consensus Second Team All-American and was named NCAA Midwest Region Most Valuable Player after leading Kentucky to the Final Four. He scored a career-high 25 points, on 10-of-13 shooting, to lead the Wildcats past Notre Dame in the Elite Eight.
A native of Piscataway, New Jersey, Towns was a three time first-team All-State selection while playing for St. Joseph High School in Metuchen, New Jersey. He was named Gatorade Male High School Athlete of the Year in 2014 after averaging 20.9 points, 13.4 rebounds and 6.2 blocks and leading St. Joseph to a 30-2 record and a state title. Towns shot 66.1 percent from the field and 82.2 percent from the free-throw line as a senior. He made 127 three pointers over his three-year high school career.
Jones, a 6-1 point guard, led Duke to the NCAA Championship this past season, averaging 11.8 points, , a team-high 5.6 assists and 3.5 rebounds in his freshman year. He was selected as the Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Tournament, averaging 13.0 points, 4.5 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.7 steals in six games. He tallied a game-high 23 points in the title game vs. Wisconsin, hitting two pivotal three-pointers in the closing minutes of the game. Jones was named to the All-ACC Freshman Team and the All-ACC Third Team. He established a Duke record first year players with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.86:1. Jones’ total assists of 217 rank third all-time among Duke freshmen.
Jones was a five-year letterwinner at Apple Valley (Minn.) High School, where he averaged 25.6 points, 8.1 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 2.7 steals as a senior. He led his team to the 2013 Class AAAA state title as a junior and was named AP Minnesota Player of the Year three times.
Towns and Jones will make their Wolves debut at the Samsung NBA Summer League 2015, which takes place in Las Vegas from July 10-20. Minnesota's first game is against the Los Angeles Lakers on July 10 at the Thomas & Mack Center at 7:30 p.m. CT.
E. Carchia
@Sportando
You must be registered to post a comment