NEW YORK — The Minnesota Timberwolves got their man in the middle. The Lakers got a playmaking partner for Kobe Bryant.
Knicks fans just got mad –though not for long.
FIRST ROUND
1. Minnesota: Karl-Anthony Towns, center, Kentucky
2. L.A. Lakers: D’Angelo Russell, guard, Ohio State
3. Philadelphia: Jahlil Okafor, center, Duke
4. New York: Kristaps Porzingis, forward, Spain
5. Orlando: Mario Hezonja, guard, Spain
6. Sacramento: Willie Cauley-Stein, center, Kentucky
7. Denver: Emmanuel Mudiay, guard, China
8. Detroit: Stanley Johnson, forward, Arizona
9. Charlotte: Frank Kaminsky, center, Wisconsin
10. Miami: Justise Winslow, forward, Duke
11. Indiana: Myles Turner, center, Texas
12. Utah: Trey Lyles, forward, Kentucky
13. Phoenix: Devin Booker, guard, Kentucky
14. Oklahoma City: Cameron Payne, guard, Murray State
a-15. Atlanta: Kelly Oubre Jr., forward, Kansas
16. Boston: Terry Rozier, guard, Louisville
17. Milwaukee: Rashad Vaughn, guard, UNLV
18. Houston: Sam Dekker, foward, Wisconsin
b,c-19. Washington: Jerian Grant, guard, Notre Dame
20. Toronto: Delon Wright, guard, Utah
21. Dallas: Justin Anderson, guard, Virginia
22. Chicago: Bobby Portis, forward, Arkansas
23. Portland: Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, forward, Arizona
c-24. Cleveland: Tyus Jones, guard, Duke
25. Memphis: Jarell Martin, foward, LSU
26. San Antonio: Nikola Milutinov, center, Serbia
27. L.A. Lakers: Larry Nance Jr., forward, Wyoming
28. Boston: R.J. Hunter, guard, Georgia State
29. Brooklyn: Chris McCullough, forward, Syracuse
30. Golden State: Kevon Looney, forward, UCLA
a-Atlanta traded the rights to the No. 15 selection to Washington for the rights to the No. 19 selection and two future second-round picks.
b-Atlanta traded the rights to the No. 19 selection to New York for G Tim Hardaway Jr.
c-Cleveland traded the rights to the No. 24 selection to Minnesota for the rights to the No. 31 and 36 selections.
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.
They were cheering later in the first round when the Knicks acquired the rights to Notre Dame guard Jerian Grant from Atlanta for Tim Hardaway Jr.
Before that, the Timberwolves went for a center in their first time owning the No. 1 pick. They can add him to a young roster featuring Rookie of the Year Andrew Wiggins, who was picked first last year by Cleveland and later dealt to Minnesota in the Kevin Love trade.
Towns’ selection wasn’t a surprise – though he said he didn’t know until it was announced.
“When Mr. Adam Silver came out, I saw him, and he said, ‘with the No. 1 pick,’ I was racing,” said Towns, who was sitting with Kentucky Coach John Calipari.
“I told Coach Cal before when he first came out that I was trying to drink the water and I was shaking uncontrollably, and I told him, ‘Coach, don’t give me the ball right now for the last-second shot. I wouldn’t make it.'”
The Los Angeles Lakers then took guard D’Angelo Russell of Ohio State, who was wearing a red jacket, bowtie and shoes that matched the Buckeyes’ school colors.
Red was the color of choice in the green room, though Towns wore a grey jacket and Russell’s table later turned gold when his supporters donned Lakers hats.
He drew huge cheers when he was announced but his crowd was dwarfed by Towns’. The New Jersey native said he had about 50 family and friends in attendance.
“This is home to me,” he said. “Being able to come here and have all my closest friends and loved ones come out here. It’s the most special moment in my life.”
The 6-foot-11 Towns averaged 10.3 points and 6.7 rebounds in just 21 minutes per game, as Kentucky used a platoon system in winning its first 38 games and reaching the Final Four.
It was Kentucky’s third No. 1 pick in the last six years, joining Anthony Davis in 2012 and John Wall in 2010.
The Wildcats had four players picked in the first round. Sacramento took center Willie Cauley-Stein with the sixth pick, Utah grabbed Trey Lyles at No. 12 and guard Devin Booker followed one spot later to Phoenix.
Booker, at 18 the youngest player in the draft, gave the Wildcats a record-tying four players among the top 14 selections. Duke in 1999 and North Carolina in 2005 also had four lottery picks.
“Just shows our team was special. Unlike any other,” Lyles said.
“Still got three other guys going to go tonight.”
It was the sixth straight year a freshman was the No. 1 pick.
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