Timberwolves sign first-round draft picks Towns, Jones
The Minnesota Timberwolves signed both of their first-round draft picks, the team announced Tuesday.
Karl-Anthony Towns, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, and Tyus Jones, the 24th selection, have agreed to terms on their rookie contracts. Both will participate in the Timberwolves Summer Showcase on July 8 at the Target Center, and they will play on the Wolves' summer-league team in Las Vegas from July 10-20.
Minnesota drafted Towns with the first No. 1 overall choice in franchise history on June 25. Towns, a 6-foot-11 big man from Kentucky, averaged 10.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.3 blocks and 21.1 minutes in 39 games (all starts) for the Wildcats last season. He was named SEC Freshman of the Year, first-team All-SEC and a second-team All-American, ultimately leading Kentucky to the NCAA tournament Final Four. The native of Piscataway, N.J., shot 56.6 percent from the field and 81.3 percent from the free-throw line.
Jones, a 6-1 point guard from Apple Valley, Minn., led Duke to the NCAA championship last season, averaging 11.8 points, a team-high 5.6 assists and 3.5 rebounds as a freshman. He was named the NCAA tournament's Most Outstanding Player after putting up 13.0 points, 4.5 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.7 steals over six games. Jones, who was a three-time AP Minnesota Player of the Year in high school, was named to the All-ACC Freshman Team and the All-ACC Third Team at Duke.
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