Former U. Nevada forward Luke Babbitt was selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves with the 16th overall pick in the first round of the 2010 NBA Draft.

Babbitt started all 34 games for the Wolf Pack during the 2009-10 season. He led the team in scoring (21.9 points per game), rebounds (8.9 per game) and steals (35 for the season) en route to being named the 2010 Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year. Babbitt became just the eighth player in program history to record more than 1,000 points in his first two seasons.

Babbitt becomes the third Nevada player to be selected in the first round. Kirk Snyder was also taken 16th by the Utah Jazz while JaVale McGee was selected 18th overall by the Washington Wizards in the 2008 NBA Draft.

The Timberwolves went 18-67 last season and finished in last place in the Western Conference. Babbitt joins former Nevada guard Ramon Sessions with Minnesota. However, whether Babbitt stays with the Timberwolves is up for debate. According to ESPN reporter Rick Bucher, the Timberwolves will trade Babbitt and Ryan Gomes to the Portland Trail Blazers for Martell Webster.

If the trade goes through, former Nevada guard Armon Johnson will once again play alongside Babbitt. Johnson was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers with the 34th overall pick in the second round.  Johnson was second on the team in scoring (15.7 points per game) and led the team in assists with 189.