The Minnesota Timberwolves will meet later this week with Duke big man Jahlil Okafor as the team continues to prepare for the upcoming NBA Draft.
Minnesota has the top pick in the June 25th draft and is said to be deciding between Okafor and Kentucky post Karl-Anthony Towns.
The Star Tribune’s Jerry Zgoda reports that Okafor, who was working out with the Los Angeles Lakers Tuesday, will meet later this week with Wolves president and coach Flip Saunders.
Okafor and agent Bill Duffy to meet with Flip later this week In California. A workout could be scheduled later
— Jerry Zgoda (@JerryZgoda) June 9, 2015
It has been reported that Okafor would prefer playing for the Lakers (who have the second pick) over the Wolves, but the big man downplayed those rumors Tuesday, according to Zgoda.
Okafor compares Lakers to playing for Duke, but said after LA workout today that he's never said he'd rather play there than Minnesota
— Jerry Zgoda (@JerryZgoda) June 9, 2015
Not everyone was buying it, though.
.@JahlilOkafor downplayed that he's angling to get to the Lakers. But he definitely sounds like he wants to wear a purple & gold jersey
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) June 9, 2015
Okafor did say in his post workout media interview that he would love to be in L.A. and acknowledged that a lot of it had to do with the team’s tradition and he brushed off the significance of being the top pick in the draft.
“Being the number one pick isn’t that important to me, I think that’s more for the fan base,” said Okafor. “I just want to be in the right position with the team that wants me.”
Most experts continue to think the Wolves will take Towns with the top pick, but many have noted that Saunders remains enamored by the low post play of Okafor.
