Minnesota Timberwolves: Ranking the decade’s No. 1 overall picks by potential
By Josh Tyler
Minnesota Timberwolves: Ranking the decade’s No. 1 overall picks by potential
No. 3 – Anthony Davis, New Orleans Hornets, 2012
In 2012, the then-Hornets/now-Pelicans selected Anthony Davis with the first pick in the draft. Davis may be the best player on this list as of today, but remember, we’re measuring in order of potential over the next decade.
Since coming into the league, Davis has not only been a force offensively but has consistently been a top interior defender in the NBA. He’s posted a career line of 24 points, 10.4 rebounds, 2.4 blocks, 1.4 steals per game. Davis has made the All-Star Game in seven out of his eight years in the league. He also gets it done on both ends of the court, averaging more than two blocks per game in every season except for his rookie year.
Davis doesn’t always get the credit he deserves. Now, as a member of the Lakers, he may be overshadowed by LeBron James, but let’s not forget that AD is a big reason that the Lakers are where they are. In his first year in L.A., Davis has held down their frontcourt on both ends of the floor.
No. 2 – Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves, 2015
We’ve arrived at yet another Wildcat on this list. This particular
‘Cat
KAT was selected first overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2015.
KAT didn’t miss a single game with the Wolves until his fourth year when he was involved in a scary car accident in a season during which he still played in 77 games.
The most eye-catching aspect about Towns’ game is his offensive ability from both inside and beyond the arc. He’s averaged 22.7 points, 11.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.5 blocks per game. Last season, Towns attempted a whopping 7.9 threes a game and made 3.3 of them per contest, putting him at 41% for the campaign.
The scariest thing about Towns is that his numbers have continued to rise in each season, and he’s still only 24 years old. The Timberwolves’ plan is clearly to build around their franchise player in Karl-Anthony Towns.
The Timberwolves are now pairing Towns and Russell, the No. 1 and No. 2 picks of the 2015 draft, and have created a two-headed scoring machine in Minnesota for years to come.