Wolves take good look at Stanford center Lopez

The team brought in the first of possibly nine potential draft picks and was impressed by his shooting range.

By JERRY ZGODA, Star Tribune

Last update: June 4, 2008 - 11:36 AM

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Stanford sophomore center Brook Lopez's 90-minute workout Tuesday morning began the Timberwolves' June draft-prospects parade that's expected to bring as many as eight other potential third overall picks to Target Center in the next three works.

Lopez worked out individually, banging bodies only against 46-year-old Wolves television analyst Jim Petersen, who played in the NBA before the 7-footer from Fresno, Calif., was even born.

The team's entire scouting and coaching staffs watched Lopez on the first morning NBA teams were allowed to bring prospects to their towns. Breathing heavily by workout's end, Lopez said his first such experience was about what he expected, except for one little detail.

"I thought it was supposed to be summer here," he said.

Wolves basketball boss Kevin McHale and coach Randy Wittman watched the big man bang down low, and they watched him shoot from the outside.

"We asked him to do some stuff that he probably hasn't done before," McHale said. "He's actually got three-point range. You can watch Brook Lopez every possession of every [college] game and never see him shoot a three-pointer. I assume he'll play more like he did at Stanford, especially his first few years in our league, but he showed some range."

On Friday, the Wolves are expected to work out some local prospects, including Winona State star Jonte Flowers, whom they might sign for their summer-league team, and their staff will fly to Houston next week for joint workouts with the Rockets, who pick 25th in the first round. Many of those same players could be available when the Wolves pick twice with two of the second round's first four picks.

UCLA freshman forward Kevin Love is one of another eight players McHale hopes to bring to Minnesota for workouts in two weeks. McHale said he'd like Lopez to return to work against other draft prospects that week.

Lopez, who also will work out this morning at Target Center, plans to practice this weekend for Seattle, which owns the fourth pick.

Asked Tuesday how he might complement Wolves star Al Jefferson, Lopez said, "Al commands so much attention, it'd make my game so much easier. I was so used to getting double- and triple-teamed in college. He'd really open it up for me because he's such a great player."

Lopez finished last in two drills -- a lane-agility test and three-quarter court sprints -- among 80 players tested at last week's Orlando pre-draft combine, according to ESPN.com. He measured 6-11¼ without shoes and 7- 1/2 with shoes.

"He's a 7-foot guy with a 7-foot, 5-inch wingspan," McHale said. "You don't play the game from the top of your head, unless it's soccer. Usually you play from the top of your hands, so you've got to think wingspan and arm length are every bit as important, maybe even way more important than height. You see guys who are 6-11 and have those little pterodactyl arms. They usually don't do too well."

Notes

• A couple interesting results from the Orlando camp: USC guard O.J. Mayo, a very possible pick at No. 3, measured 6-3 without shoes, 6-4¼ with shoes and tested very well in athletic drills.

Kansas State forward Michael Beasley, listed at 6-10 in college, measured 6-7 without shoes, 6-8¼ with shoes and also tested well in strength and leaping drills.

• McHale on Tuesday's firing of former Wolves coach Flip Saunders: "One thing about the NBA: You get hired to get fired. Actually, right now, coaches make pretty good money on their way out the door. Hey, it's tough."

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