Turns out Becky Taylor won’t be representing the Timberwolves at tomorrow night’s NBA Draft Lottery in New York.
Wolves owner Glen Taylor told Sports Headliners the NBA informed him family members no longer will be able to represent teams at the nationally televised lottery. Taylor said the league has received complaints about family members participating in the past and decided to change the policy as to who can represent teams. He didn’t offer specific details describing the complaints other than to say the league has told him someone “prominent” has to represent franchises.
Awhile ago Taylor’s wife Becky had accepted an invitation from Wolves president and coach Flip Saunders to represent the club. Everything was set early last week when Taylor told Sports Headliners (see May 13 column) that Becky would be the franchise’s lottery person on the ESPN telecast. “I will represent the team now,” Taylor said.
Typically NBA teams are represented at the lottery by front office members or others directly affiliated with franchises but in the past some children of owners have participated.
The Wolves are one of 14 teams who are in the lottery that determines the order of selections for those franchises in the June 25 NBA Draft. Because the Wolves had the league’s worst record in 2014-2015, they have 250 chances at winning the lottery, while the clubs closest to them are the Knicks, 199 chances; Sixers, 156; and Lakers, 119. The Wolves have a 25 percent likelihood of winning the lottery and securing the No. 1 draft choice.
Lottery policy guarantees Minnesota will draft no lower than fourth in the first round because the Timberwolves had the worst record in the league. The Wolves also have two second round selections in the June 25 draft.
Will Taylor bring a lucky charm to the lottery tomorrow night? “I will just show up and have a smile on my face, and however it goes, it goes,” he said with a laugh.
Minneapolis-St. Paul basketball fans will follow the draft not only because of the Wolves but also to learn the fate of Tyus Jones and Rashad Vaughn, two Minnesota natives who were high school players only a year ago. Jones, the former Apple Valley point guard, has known Saunders for years. The Wolves, though, are stocked with young point guards in Ricky Rubio and Zach LaVine, and it’s unlikely Jones will land here.
Jeff Goodman, the ESPN analyst, spoke about Jones last Thursday during the NBA Draft Combine. He expressed doubt Jones could start for a playoff team but might be a “backup point guard for 10 to 12 years.”
Vaughn, who played at Robbinsdale Cooper before finishing his prep career in Las Vegas, is more likely to be drafted by the Wolves. The team needs shooters and has two second round draft choices. Vaughn, a shooting guard, was the Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Year, and he is projected as a second rounder in next month’s draft. He averaged 17.8 points per game to lead UNLV in scoring last season.
As for the Wolves first round draft choice, it’s likely to be a center if the lottery leaves the club with either the No. 1 or No. 2 selection. Kentucky’s Karl-Anthony Towns and Duke’s Jahlil Okafor, both centers, are generally considered the draft’s top prospects. The Wolves have a need at the center position because veteran Nikola Pekovic struggles with injuries while Gorgui Dieng, a third year player next season, isn’t a consistent low block scoring threat.
Someone actually cares who represents a team at the NBA draft lottery? What is wrong with the world? What does it matter who represents the team? What a farce. Talk about taking yourself way too seriously. Unbelievable.