LYLES ALL THAT JAZZ
Canadian picked 12th
The Utah Jazz selected Canadian Trey Lyles with the No. 12 pick of the NBA draft on Thursday night.
The 6- foot- 10, 241- pound forward from Kentucky is versatile with strong ball- handling skills for his size.
Lyles, who was born in Saskatoon before moving to Indianapolis at a young age, averaged 8.7 points and 5.2 rebounds for the Wildcats and was named to the Southeastern Conference All- Freshman team after his lone collegiate season.
He is the first Saskatoon- born player to be drafted.
The Jazz went into the off- season needing shooting after averaging the fifth- fewest points per game last season. Frontcourt depth became a priority after the team moved Enes Kanter to the Thunder at the deadline.
Lyles could fill a stretch- four role one day, though he shot just 13.8 per cent from three- point range. He worked out with the Jazz on June 13 and said he wasn’t able to show all of his game on a Kentucky roster that had four players selected in the first 13 picks.
The Minnesota Timberwolves got their man in the middle. The Lakers got a playmaking partner for Kobe Bryant. Knicks fans just got mad. Minnesota selected Kentucky’s Karl- Anthony Towns with the first pick in the NBA draft on Thursday night, the first of three straight freshmen chosen before New York chose Latvian forward Kristaps Porzingis, triggering loud, long boos from their fans inside Barclays Center.
The Timberwolves went for a centre in their first time owning the No. 1 pick. They can add him to a young roster featuring Toronto native and Rookie of the Year winner Andrew Wiggins, who was picked first last year by Cleveland and later dealt to Minnesota in the Kevin Love trade.
The Wildcats were hoping to have a record seven players picked and were well on their way when Sacramento took centre Willie Cauley- Stein with the sixth pick, Utah grabbed Lyles at No. 12 and guard Devin Booker followed one spot later to Phoenix.
“Just shows our team was special. Unlike any other,” Lyles said. “Still got three other guys going to go tonight.”
Meanwhile, the Toronto Raptors selected Utah guard Delon Wright with the No. 20 pick.
The 6- foot- 5 Wright provides depth at the point guard spot, which comes amid reports the Raptors traded backup guard Greivis Vasquez.
The 23- year- old from Los Angeles is a versatile player, ranking in the top 10 in the Pac- 12 in scoring, assists and steals.
He’ll join a team that will reportedly be minus Vasquez, who’s been traded to the Milwaukee Bucks for the No. 46 pick and a future firstround pick, according to numerous reports.
The move frees up a significant amount of cash for this summer’s free agency period.
The Los Angeles Lakers then took guard D’Angelo Russell of Ohio State, who was wearing a red jacket, bow tie and shoes that matched the Buckeyes’ school colours.
For weeks, Towns and Duke’s Jahlil Okafor had been considered the top two selections. But the Lakers instead decided on backcourt help with a player who can step right in and play alongside Bryant in what could be the superstar’s final season.
“Kobe’s a great dude,” Russell said.
“Not knowing how much he has left in the tank is the scary thing. I’m really looking forward to him taking me under his wing if possible and feed me the most knowledge he can and use that as fire against my opponents.”
Okafor fell to the Philadelphia 76ers at No. 3, becoming the 19th lottery selection and 29th firstround pick — most in NCAA history — under coach Mike Krzyzewski. Those numbers increased when Miami drafted Justise Winslow 10th.
The Knicks ended the run of one- and- dones when they took Porzingis with the No. 4 pick. The 19- year- old forward had been surging up draft boards but Knicks fans, who haven’t forgotten the drafting of Frederic Weis and were underwhelmed by the acquisition of Andrea Bargnani, wanted no part of him, booing lustily after his name was called by Silver.
“Lot of fans weren’t happy they drafted me,” Porzingis said. “I have to do everything in my hands to turn those booing fans into clapping fans. I was happy about it. Want to be part of this organization, the fans are harsh sometimes, that’s how it is in New York and I’m ready for it.”
Another international player followed, as Orlando took Croatian Mario Hezonja at No. 5. Detroit took Arizona’s Stanley Johnson eighth before national player of the year Frank Kaminsky went to Charlotte at No. 9.
Lot of fans weren’t happy they drafted me. I have to do everything in my hands to turn those booing fans into clapping fans.