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Home , Bob Myers, Deni Avdija, Isaac Okoro, Josh Green (basketball), Killian Hayes, Onyeka Okongwu

Friday 39 Sports Friday, November 20, 2020 T-Wolves take Edwards first in NBA draft, France’s Hayes seventh overall : The made University of standout Anthony Edwards the first overall selection in the pan- demic-delayed 2020 NBA draft on Wednesday. The Timberwolves, who finished 19-45 in the coronavirus-disrupted 2020 season, opted for Edwards, who averaged 19 as a freshman, to bolster a roster that includes young stars Karl-Anthony Towns and D’Angelo Russell. “I feel like I’m going to fit perfect with those guys because Russell likes to play off the ball The number one overall pick by the Minnesota Timberwolves, sometimes, and I can play on the ball,” Edwards Anthony Edwards poses for a photo with his draft hat during said in a virtual press conference from his home the 2020 NBA Draft. in Georgia. “When he wants to play on the rock, I can play off the ball. And KAT is the best three- Bob Myers of a year that saw shooting big man in the league. So I feel we the influential “March Madness” collegiate tour- can’t go wrong with that, a lot of pick-and-pops, nament cancelled and chances for NBA hopefuls pick-and-rolls and such.” to showcase their talent curtailed. The took James The Warriors, who finished last in the Western Wiseman with the second overall pick and the Conference after a season marred by injuries to — owned by NBA icon Stephen Curry and , got another NBA Commissioner, Adam Silver reacts to the Charlotte Hornets number three overall pick of Lamelo Ball during the 2020 NBA Draft. Michael Jordan — made guard LaMelo Ball the injury scare hours before the draft with what they third selection. called a leg injury to Thompson in training, the erratic shooting ability may have weighed is expected to combine well with last year’s first- Edwards, a 6-foot-5, 220-pound guard from severity of which was not immediately known. against the 6-foot-7 19-year-old from California round pick, , who is also from who spent his lone collegiate season at In Wiseman they get a player who hasn’t whose path to the NBA included stints playing France. , 19, became the highest- Georgia, joins a young Timberwolves core led by played organized basketball in more than a year. professionally in Lithuania and Australia. He av- drafted player from when the Washington star center Karl-Anthony Towns and He played just three games for the University of eraged 17 points, 7.4 rebounds and 6.8 assists in Wizards took him ninth. D’Angelo Russell. Edwards led all Division I fresh- Memphis to aim at the NBA draft. “This draft 31.2 minutes over 12 games for the Illawarra Avdija, who played for Israeli powerhouse men with 19.1 points per game and was the South- process has been the longest for me, so I’ve just Hawks in Australia’s National Basketball League Maccabi at 16 and averaged 12.9 points eastern Conference Freshman of the Year. been working on my game,” said the 7-foot-1 this past season. per game in the 2019-20 EuroLeague season, was The 2020 draft comes five months after it was (2.16m) center who is an imposing presence at the The took Patrick Williams with tabbed by the Wizards a year after they made Rui originally scheduled in June and barely four weeks rim. “I’ve actually been playing pickup games with the fourth pick, went fifth to the Hachimura the first player from Japan to be after LeBron James and the pros already, so I’ve been getting a lot of experi- and the took drafted in the first round. clinched the NBA Finals after a virus-disrupted ence. But really just focusing on myself. I’m truly sixth overall. French point For the first time two players born in Nigeria season. And it comes just five weeks before the ready to play with these great guys.” guard , who has been playing with — and — 2020-21 campaign tips off on December 22. in Germany, went seventh overall featured in the first round. Achiuwa was taken That means the NBA’s newest top recruits face Ball goes third to the — the highest overseas 20th by the and Azubuike 27th by the being thrown in at the deep end after an unprece- Ball, the youngest of three basketball-playing player taken this year. , both coming through US col- dented last leg of their journey to the league. “It brothers who already have their own reality TV Hayes, 19, averaged 11.6 points and 5.3 assists legiate programs, as did Aussie who makes for a lot of unknowns,” said Golden State show, was touted as a potential top selection. But per game in 2019-20 in Germany’s top league and was taken 18th by the . —AFP

BRISTOL: A wide angle view of the first round draft board during the 2020 NBA Draft on Wednesday in Bristol, Connecticut at ESPN Headquarters. — AFP