Minneapolis/St. Paul – The Minnesota Timberwolves selected Ohio State forward Keita Bates-Diop with the 48th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft.
Bates-Diop, 22, was named the 2017-18 Big Ten Player of the Year after averaging 19.8 points, 8.7 rebounds and 1.6 blocks over his redshirt junior season at Ohio State. A 2017-18 consensus Second Team All-American, Bates-Diop raised his scoring average 10.1 points per game from his redshirt sophomore (9.7 ppg) to his redshirt junior year (19.8 ppg). This season, Bates-Diop paced the Big 10 in scoring, finishing second in rebounds (8.7 per contest) and fifth in blocked shots (1.