Disclaimer: This piece does not reflect the views of the Minnesota Timberwolves organization.

Freshman, PF/C, Kentucky

6’11.25”, 248 LBS

8.1 % Body Fat

7’3.25” Wing Span

9’1” Standing Reach*

*Numbers from 2014 UK Pro Day. Towns did not participate in the 2015 Draft Combine.

College Stats In 2014-15:

39 Games, 21.1 MPG, 10.3 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 1.1 APG, 2.3 BPG, 56.6 FG%, 81.3 FT%

Where He’ll Go:

He’s expected to be a top-3 pick.

Best Game In 2014-15:

Towns was big (figuratively and literally) when his team needed him most. In the Elite 8 against Notre Dame, Kentucky squeaked by, 68-66. Towns was the main reason why as he posted 25 points, five rebounds, four assists, two steals and one block in the win. He was extremely efficient, shooting 10-of-13 from the field and 5-of-6 from the free-throw line.

Scouting Report:

Don’t let the numbers confuse you. Sure, 10.3 points and 6.7 rebounds per game don’t seem that impressive.

The number you need to look at is how many minutes Towns played (21.1 per game). The freshman was on a stacked Kentucky team with likely four first-round picks in the upcoming draft. Let’s translate the numbers to 40 minutes per game: 19.5 points, 12.7 rebounds, 4.2 blocks per game.

A little more impressive, right?

Towns was a consensus All-American during his only year at Kentucky and led the NCAA in defensive rating.

Defense will be his bread and butter and he'll be able to immediately bring that to whatever team he is drafted by. He’s a block artist (4.4 per 40 minutes!) and a rim protector, something that is very valued in today’s NBA. He crashes the board on both sides of the court, which is a plus as well.

One thing that we didn’t get to see from Towns last season was his ability to shoot from the perimeter. With players like Devin Booker and the Harrison twins, John Calipari didn’t’ need his big man to leave the paint. But during his high school career, Towns made 127 three pointers in 94 games, proving that he does have the ability.

(Fun-fact: His father was the coach for Towns for the St. Joseph Eagles located in New Jersey.)

And then there’s this. The form looks pretty decent. Pretty rare for a big man like Towns.

One thing you can’t ignore with Towns is simply is physical tools. He’s a strong 7-footer who won’t get beaten up too badly physically. That says something especially for a 19 year old. He isn’t as polished as, say Jahlil Okafor, inside, but he’s able to get solid position simply because of his brute strength. That will be different with stronger players in the NBA, but he’s still not completely developed. He’s also a solid passer with a good all-around feel for the game. That includes ball handling (for a big man at least) and his touch at the basket.

The “not developed yet” is also the biggest knock on Towns, if there is one. He’s considered more of a project on the offensive end. But don’t look too much into this. All young players are a project. Just look how Andrew Wiggins grew during his rookie season.

On defense, he is an extremely great shot blocker, but that sometimes gets him in foul trouble as well. He needs to do a better job of picking his battles.

Towns is probably the most unique and versatile post player in the draft. He’s not fantastic down low, but he’s well above-average. And we aren’t sure what he can do on the perimeter, but he showed us flashes at Kentucky and if he can indeed expand his range to the three-point line, watch out. By doing that, though, a team also misses out on offensive rebounds (ex. Serge Ibaka and OKC this season).

Towns might not be a sure thing, but many experts think he has the highest ceiling.

“Towns probably has the edge to me right now because he’s the grand slam (as opposed to a home run),” ESPN college basketball Fran Fraschilla said on Towns’ upside.

The question the top lottery teams have to make a decision whether or not Towns is a player worth waiting to develop into a grand slam or whether or not a safe pick (home run) outweighs the risk.

Twitter Talk

Quotable

“Whereas Towns is not as ready‑made as (Jahlil) Okafor may be offensively, but he’s got tantalizing shot blocking potential. He’s developing into a low‑post scorer. And something that was not seen this year, that many of us have watched him since he was about 16 know that he can do, is that he can step away from the basket and shoot threes." – ESPN college basketball analyst Fran Fraschilla on the potential of Karl-Anthony Towns.