NBAdraft.net projects the Wolves taking St. John’s freshman forward-guard Moe Harkless with the No. 18 pick in the first round of Thursday night’s NBA Draft. Harkless, 6-8, averaged 15.5 points per game for the Red Storm and was Big East Rookie of the Year.
The website predicts the Wolves will choose 6-4 senior Temple shooting guard Ramone Moore with the No. 58 pick on the second round. Moore was first team All-Atlantic Conference, leading the Owls in scoring at 17.3 points per game and finishing third in the league. Moore is scheduled to work out for the Wolves today at Target Center.
The draft will be televised on by ESPN and the Wolves are expected to make their selection about 8 p.m. Minneapolis time. The draft begins at 6:30 p.m.
Joel Maturi, who retired as Gophers athletic director earlier this month, is an admirer of Twins general manager Terry Ryan. “Terry Ryan is a great person,” Maturi said. “We’ve had a relationship since I’ve been at Minnesota.”
Twins super prospect Miguel Sano is only hitting .239 for Beloit but the third baseman is tied for the Midwest League lead in home runs with 15 and is third in RBI with 51.
Twins pitcher Anthony Swarzak’s belief in Bigfoot is the subject of a feature in the June-July issue of the Twins magazine sold at Target Field.
Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said on his 1500 ESPN show yesterday he’s used 10 different starters this season. It has been a situation of “desperation” at times because of injuries and ineffective performance.
Gardenhire said Matt Capps’ sore shoulder could result in the closer going on the disabled list and this morning that development was confirmed. He also said the need to have Joe Mauer’s bat in the lineup may result in limiting Mauer’s catching to three or four games per week.
This Saturday the Twins are giving away Minneapolis Millers pennants to the first 20,000 fans in recognition of the former Triple-A franchise that played at Metropolitan Stadium before the Senators relocated here from Washington, D.C. The Twins will wear Millers uniforms while the Kansas City Royals will be in Kansas City Blues uniforms as part of a “turn back the clock” promotion.
Brad Childress, the former Vikings head coach and now the Browns offensive coordinator, will be 56 on Wednesday.
Former Gophers offensive coordinator Mike Dunbar is the offensive coordinator at Northern Illinois. Ex-Gophers defensive coordinators Ted Roof and Everett Withers are coordinators at Penn State and Ohio State.
Passionate Gophers fans are looking forward to watching redshirt freshman defensive end Thieren Cockran, who admirers think could become one of Minnesota’s best pass rushers in years.
Former Gophers football All-American John Williams, who recently had a kidney transplant, reported on his CaringBridge site on Friday that he’s been cleared to go home and is “feeling pretty good.” https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/johnbjwilliams
The 39th annual Minnesota High School All-Star Football Game will be played on Saturday at Husky Stadium in St. Cloud starting at 1 p.m. There will be 78 players from 31 conferences selected by the Minnesota Football Coaches Association. Jeff Schlieff (Spring Lake Park) will coach the North while Bill Ihrke (Plainview-Elgin-Millville) coaches the South.
David
Thanks for mentioning my induction into the ( NSIC ) Northern Sun Intercollegiate
Conference Hall of Fame in July.
Dave