By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
Mathias Lessort’s NBA rights were traded to the Minesotta Timberwolves by the Los Angeles Clippers. The Timberwolves sent the Clippers Daniel Oturu’s Draft rights to get lthe French big man plus a 2023 second-round pick.
Lessort, 25, currently competing with AS Monaco in EuroCup and the French Jeep Elite League, had been selected by the Philadelphia 76ers with the 50th overall pick in the 2017 Draft.
Per Timbrerwolves:
Minnesota Timberwolves President of Basketball Operations Gersson Rosas tonight announced the team has acquired the draft rights to Mathias Lessort from the Los Angeles Clippers and a 2023 Second Round Pick from the Detroit Pistons in exchange for the draft rights to the number 33 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft Daniel Oturu.
Lessort, a 6-9 forward from Fort-de-France, Martinique, France, was originally drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers with the 50th pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. He currently plays for AS Monaco in the LNB Pro A League (France). In seven professional seasons overseas, Lessort has averaged 7.5 points on 59.0% shooting and 4.9 rebounds. He competed for the French National Team during the 2019 FIBA World Cup where he totaled 23 points and 13 rebounds in six games.
Oturu, a 6-10 forward/center, spent two seasons at the University of Minnesota where he ranked 26th in the nation in scoring (20.1 ppg), eighth in rebounding (11.3 rpg), tied for 21st in blocks (2.45 bpg) and 31st in field goal percentage (56.3) as a sophomore in 2019-20. Oturu earned honors as a 2019-20 AP All-America Honorable Mention selection and was named to the 2019-20 All-Big Ten Second Team and Big Ten All-Defensive Team.
Photo: EuroCup Basketball