Former Kentucky stars Towns, Booker reunite at Target Center tonight

Former college teammates Karl-Anthony Towns and Devin Booker meet tonight in Suns-Wolves game.

December 19, 2016 at 7:40PM
Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns and Suns guard Devin Booker (2016 file photo), former college teammates at Kentucky, will face each other Monday night at Target Center.
Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns and Suns guard Devin Booker (2016 file photo), former college teammates at Kentucky, will face each other Monday night at Target Center. (Brian Wicker — Associated Press file/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Four members from that Kentucky team that went 38-1 were drafted among the top 13 in the NBA's 2015 draft.

Two of those former teammates -- Karl-Anthony Towns and Devin Booker -- will play at Target Center tonight.

The first overall pick that June, Towns is the 7-foot center who probably revolutionize his position before he's all done playing.

Booker is the gifted shooter whose already has left everybody asking why he lasted until the 13th pick.

"I've always said he is an extreme talent who was just a steal in our draft," Towns said.

Willie Cauley-Stein (sixth by Sacramento) and Trey Lyles (12th by Utah) were the other two Wildcats taken among the top-13 picks in that draft.

UK coach John Calipari insisted Towns prove himself to NBA scout by playing almost exclusively underneath the basket during Towns' one collegiate season.

But Booker knows the three-point shooter Towns was before he arrived in Lexington and after he left.

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"It didn't surprise me," Booker said about Towns' three-point range. "I think it's surprising a lot of people, but I spent countless hours with him in the gym. I know what he's capable of."

The Wolves 7-19 after losing Saturday's heartbreaker to Houston, a game they had won many times over but lost in overtime.

The Suns are 8-19 and finishing up a quick two-game trip that started with Saturday's 114-101 loss at Oklahoma City.

about the writer

about the writer

Jerry Zgoda

Reporter

Jerry Zgoda covers Minnesota United FC and Major League Soccer for the Minnesota Star Tribune.

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Bailey Hillesheim/The Associated Press

The veteran guard left the Timberwolves for free agency and the Atlanta Hawks after reinventing himself here.

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