The Latest from the NBA draft at Barclays Center in New York (All times local):
8:10 p.m.
Well, that didn’t take long.
The Lakers pulled off the first surprise, albeit a somewhat mild one, and went small with D’Angelo Russell out of Ohio State, arguably the most dynamic player available. He’s not short on wattage, either. Good thing, since he’ll be cast as the understudy to LA’s current star, 37-year-old Kobe Bryant.
That opened the door for Philadelphia to grab the draft’s other consensus talented big man, Jahlil Okafor out of Duke. Never mind that the 76ers already have two big men in need of minutes – Joel Embiid and Nerlens Noel – and a third, Dario Saric, stashed in Europe until 2016.
Philadelphia general manager Sam Hinkie has a reputation for being unconventional. But this time, he took the best player available.
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7:46 p.m.
The NBA draft does not have a real catwalk. It’s hard to make a fashion statement while strolling across the stage to shake Commissioner Adam Silver’s hand and put on a ball cap.
But that has not dissuaded a handful of just-minted millionaires from trying.
Karl-Anthony Towns told Women’s Wear Daily this about his zig-zag blazer with black leather-accented lapels: ”For me, it’s not about the designer, it’s more about the look. At the end of the day, I’m just trying to wear clothes that make me look good.”
Mission accomplished.
If you like TV test patterns.
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7:37 p.m.
The Timberwolves surprised exactly no one by making Karl-Anthony Towns the No. 1 pick. They were the only team he worked out for.
Towns was asked about the club so many times on TV shows last week it seemed like he was promoting a sitcom.
One day Towns said how he was looking forward to being tutored by Kevin Garnett, the Timberwolves’ aging star. A day later, an ESPN tour revealed that the locker next to Garnett’s in the team’s shiny new downtown practice facility has already been reserved for the team’s No. 1 pick. The only thing missing was a torch to pass between them.
Towns is a quick learner, too. The son of a high school coach was practicing with the junior varsity while still in grade school.
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7:15 p.m.
Red, or some shade of it, appears to be the ”in” color this year.
So much so that the green room at the NBA draft is starting to look like a Vegas card table. There was Ohio State’s D’Angelo Russell in Buckeye red … er scarlet. Jahlil Okafor and Kristaps Porzingis went with maroon.
The other dominant look around the Barclays Center is blue – that of the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers. Knicks fans filled the plaza outside the arena a couple of hours before the start. The draft used to be held inside Madison Square Garden, and at times Thursday it looked like it still was.
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6:30 p.m.
New Magic coach Scott Skiles is already working the media, with an assist from his wife, Kim.
When members of the media arrived for the draft night they found a tray with homemade cookies from the Skiles.
The cookies were wrapped with basketball print ribbon and two tags: ”From the Kitchen of Kim Skiles” and ”A Gift From Kim and Scott.”
Well played, coach. Well played.
The Magic are slated to pick fifth and 51st tonight and has lots of needs to fill. The coach has already taken care of buttering up the reporters.
– Kyle Hightower in Orlando, Florida
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6:15 p.m.
BIG.
Then little.
That’s as good a guess as any about how tonight’s NBA draft will unfold. A consensus of scouts and draftniks expect the top two picks will be 6-foot-11 Karl-Anthony Towns, by Minnesota, and then 6-11 Jahlil Okafor, by Los Angeles, when things get started in about 75 minutes.
The last time two low-post players went 1-2 was 23 years ago, when Shaquille O’Neal and Alonzo Mourning topped the 1992 board. Attribute that to either a scarcity of good big men over the past two decades, or a growing sentiment among the league’s front offices that ”small ball” – relying on quick, spot-up shooters and versatile wing players at the expense of traditional centers – is the way to win championships.
Just don’t be surprised if the tide turns after Towns’ selection.
There’s more than a few last-minute trade scenarios swirling around along with a bounty of intriguing guard prospects fronted by D’Angelo Russell and Emmanuel Mudiay, who played in China last year.
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Litke contributed from Chicago; AP Basketball Writer Brian Mahoney contributed to this report in New York.
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