Karl Anthony Towns Cruz is the first Latin American to be first draft into the NBA and the eighth Dominican selected to play with a NBA team. Yesterday he was the first player chosen in the NBA draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves. As the first player selected in the draft, Towns is guaranteed to receive a contract for more than US$26 million over four seasons. His compensation package will be the highest received by a Dominican basketball player.
Other Dominicans to play in the NBA are Al Horford (Atlanta Hawks), Charlie Villanueva (Detroit Pistons), Francisco Garcia (Sacramento Kings), Luis Felipe Lopez (San Antonio Spurs, Vancouver Grisslies), Tito Horford (Washington Bullets in1998), Jose “El Grillo” Vargas (Dallas Mavericks), and Luis Flores (Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks), Hugo Cabrera (Milwaukee Bucks). Hugo Cabrera was the first Dominican chosen in the NBA draft in 1976.
19-year old, 6’11 Karl Towns is the son of a American high school basketball coach and a Dominican woman. He studied his freshman at the University of Kentucky. He had been recruited by John Calipari who on two occasions coached him as a member of the Dominican national basketball coach to which he was recruited at 16 years.
In 2014, Towns was named the United States Gatorade Player of the Year. He opted to graduate a year early from high school, sporting a 3.96 GPA. During his lone season at the University of Kentucky, he was named SEC Freshman of the Year and Midwest MVP of the NCAA Tournament. He guided the well-balanced Wildcats to an unbeaten regular season record and a Final Four appearance, leading the team in rebounds (261), blocks (88) and finishing second in points per game (10.3).
Drafting Towns has strengthened the Minnesota Timberwolves, whose roster already includes NBA’s Rookie of the year- Andrew Wiggins and 2013’s top draft, Anthony Bennett. The intent is for Towns to become the anchor of a good defense for the team.
http://www.startribune.com/karl-anthony-towns-drafted-no-1-overall-by-timberwolves-as-expected/309936841/
http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2015/6/25/8629949/nba-draft-2015-results-karl-anthony-towns-minnesota-timberwolves
http://www.nba.com/draft/?ls=iref:nbahpt3a
http://www.nba.com/2015/news/06/25/nba-draft-wolves-take-towns-no-1.ap/index.html?ls=iref:nba:draft:headlines
http://www.nba.com/celtics/draft/profile-karl-anthony-towns