Looking beyond the top two in the NBA draft

It's believed the Timberwolves have a plan, and a backup plan as well. Well, you know how plans, and even backup plans, go.

So who have they considered before they reportedly decided to select Kentucky big man Karl-Anthony Towns (almost certainly the plan) over Duke forward Jahlil Okafor (a backup plan) with the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft Thursday night?

They brought point guards Emmanuel Mudiay and D'Angelo Russell to Minneapolis last week for a visit and workout, and basketball boss/coach Flip Saunders went to Las Vegas this month to see Kristaps Porzingis, a 7-2 Latvian with guard skills and the draft's largest wingspan but not enough muscle just yet.

Mudiay was born in Zaire (present-day Congo) and raised in America, and he passed on college ball to play professionally in China. Russell made a name for himself as a skilled — some say remarkable — passer at Ohio State, and he can really shoot it, too.