Chapter 13: Draft Night Shock — Minnesota Passes on Adrian Cross
It was late May in Minneapolis, and the lights inside the headquarters of the MinnesotaTimberwolves were still burning deep into the night.
Two scouting reports sat at the center of the conference table.
One belonged to Karl-AnthonyTowns.
The other belonged to AdrianCross.
Team owner GlenTaylor leaned forward slowly, tapping his fingers against the table.
Across from him, the executives reviewed the numbers again.
"260-kilogram bench press."
"125-centimeter vertical leap."
"35 points, 16 rebounds, and 5 blocks in twenty minutes."
The general manager exhaled slowly.
"Those testing numbers are unprecedented," he said.
"His scrimmage performance was even more dominant. On defense he controlled the paint completely, and offensively he finished everything at the rim."
Another executive rubbed his forehead.
"There's no doubt he's the most physically gifted prospect in the draft."
"But he's also the biggest risk."
He flipped to the final page of Adrian's report.
"His game relies heavily on power. Every play is explosive, every dunk violent. That kind of style can be hard on a player's body."
"And we haven't even had a private workout with him."
Another report was pushed forward.
Karl-Anthony Towns.
"Now Towns is different," one scout said.
"We already held a private workout with him last week."
"He can shoot from outside, pass from the high post, defend in space, and run the floor."
"In the modern NBA, that skill set fits perfectly."
He tapped the report.
"A center who can shoot, switch defensively, and stretch the floor."
"That's exactly what the league is moving toward."
Glen Taylor stared at the two reports silently.
For years, the Timberwolves had struggled near the bottom of the standings.
The franchise needed stability.
Adrian Cross was like a powerfulsword — capable of instantly cutting through opponents.
But swords could break.
Towns, on the other hand, was more like a completetoolkit.
Reliable.
Versatile.
Lower risk.
Taylor finally spoke.
"What does the marketing department think?"
The marketing director answered immediately.
"Adrian Cross has enormous global attention right now. His Combine highlights are trending everywhere."
"But Karl-Anthony Towns is also extremely popular among U.S. fans and college basketball audiences."
The room fell silent again.
Outside the window, rain blurred the city lights of Minneapolis.
The decision facing the Timberwolves was simple — yet incredibly difficult.
Choose the dominantphysicalphenomenon.
Or choose the safe, moderncenter.
Brooklyn, NewYork
Inside the brightly lit BarclaysCenter, the 2015NBADraft had finally arrived.
The arena buzzed with anticipation.
In the famous GreenRoom, the top prospects sat in the front row wearing tailored suits.
Among them sat AdrianCross.
His dark blue suit fit perfectly, his tall frame making him stand out immediately among the players.
Beside him stood his agent, RichPaul, quietly giving him a few final words of advice.
Camera flashes lit up the room nonstop.
Across the room, Karl-AnthonyTowns occasionally glanced toward Adrian.
There was obvious rivalry between the two.
Adrian simply nodded politely.
Inside his mind, however, he was already considering another possibility.
If he didn't go first…
The LosAngelesLakers or Philadelphia76ers might actually be better destinations.
Both teams offered bigger markets and clearer rebuilding timelines.
Soon, the lights dimmed.
The draft was about to begin.
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the 2015 NBA Draft!"
AdamSilver walked onto the stage.
The arena erupted into cheers.
After a brief opening speech, he reached for the first envelope.
"With the first pick in the 2015 NBA Draft…"
The entire arena went silent.
Every camera turned toward the Green Room.
Adrian leaned forward slightly.
Even he felt a hint of anticipation.
Adam Silver opened the envelope.
Then he read the name.
"With the first overall pick…"
"The MinnesotaTimberwolves select…"
"Karl-AnthonyTowns! from the UniversityofKentucky!"
Boom!
The arena exploded in applause.
Towns jumped to his feet instantly, hugging his family in celebration.
The decision was official.
Minnesota had passed on Adrian Cross!
Despite Adrian's dominant Combine performance.
Despite the historic athletic testing.
Despite the shattered backboard.
They chose the safer option.
Adrian's smile froze for only half a second.
Then he clapped politely like everyone else.
Inside, however, he wasn't surprised.
The Timberwolves had always been a cautious franchise.
Risk was never their style.
Across the arena, analysts were already whispering.
"If Adrian falls to the second pick, the Lakers might have just gotten extremely lucky."
"Imagine him in Los Angeles."
"Tonight might change the entire future of the draft."
Back in the Green Room, Adrian leaned back calmly in his chair.
His expression remained relaxed.
But a faint smile appeared on his face.
If Minnesota didn't want him…
Another team definitely would.
And that team might end up with the greatestbargainindrafthistory.