The Minnesota Timberwolves have needs all over the court aside from point guard and the frontcourt spot opposite Kevin Love so pretty much anything that a 2012 NBA mock draft predicts could be right on the money. Sports Illustrated's latest mock came out on Wednesday afternoon, however, and it likely raised some eyebrows from those looking on in Minnesota when they saw John Henson's name in the No. 18 slot.
SI's Sam Amick observed the NBA Draft Combine last week and is an NBA insider if there ever was one so he obviously knows what he's talking about. That said, it would seem there are probably more pressing needs than the standout power forward that played his college basketball with the North Carolina Tar Heels.
Even if Henson fell this far, the fact remains that his defensive impact and ability to contribute in other areas as well make him Anthony Davis-lite in this draft crop. He averaged 2.9 blocks last season and 3.2 in 2010-11, along with improving his scoring (from 11.7 points as a sophomore to 13.7 as a junior) and maintaining his solid rebounding (10.1 as a sophomore, 9.9 as a junior).
The Wolves, who are also looking at Iowa State forward Royce White here, would welcome a rim defender like Henson who could spark stops and get out and run with point guard Ricky Rubio.
The Wolves could definitely use someone that can defend and then get out and run with Rubio, but they'd likely rather upgrade the shooting guard position. That said, if things end up going the way they do in SI's mock draft, it'd be all but impossible to pass on Henson if the Wolves were unable to trade the pick.
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