Two days before the NBA draft, University of Minnesota incoming freshman Josh Martin texted his old high school pal, Zach LaVine, with a prediction:
'I think you're going to go to Minnesota!' he wrote.
LaVine laughed, telling Martin he'd love that coincidence.
But Martin, a 6-8 forward expected to compete for the Gophers' starting power forward spot, proved to be prophetic. A couple of days later, the Timberwolves selected LaVine with their 13th overall pick, reuniting the Washington state natives in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.
"I said 'Man, that'd be crazy,'" LaVine said. "I guess you could say he called it."
LaVine -- who played with Martin for one season at Bothell High School, and ran the court with him for three summers on their AAU team -- hasn't hung out with his friend since landing in the Twin Cities, opting to let the freshman settle in first.
But soon, he said with a mischievous grin, the pair will be back to their old games.
Back in Bothell, a small suburb Northeast of Seattle and Lake Washington, LaVine and Martin would hang out at each other's houses or the mall from time to time, and get food together. The best bet to find them, though, would be in the gym, where the two hyper athletes would shoot together, play one-on-one or stage impromptu dunk contests.
