Batista runs with Wolves

The consolation prize for a player not selected in the National Basketball Association draft is that he gets to be the one doing the picking.

J.P. Batista, the brawny Brazilian center who concluded his Gonzaga University career last spring, has agreed to join the Minnesota Timberwolves’ entry in the Vegas Summer League which begins play Thursday at the Cox Pavilion on the UNLV campus.

“There was a lot of interest (Wednesday) night after the draft,” said George Bass, Batista’s Dallas-based agent. “He had five teams that wanted him to play for their summer league teams, and in the end he felt that Minnesota provided the best situation.”

Despite some impressive credentials, Batista was not among the 60 players selected during the two rounds of the NBA draft – though he watched his Gonzaga teammate, Adam Morrison, go to the Charlotte Bobcats as the No. 3 pick. Batista averaged 19.3 points and 9.3 rebounds as a senior in earning All-West Coast Conference honors.

“I was surprised he didn’t get picked,” Bass said. “He had 10 good workouts with NBA teams and really did everything he could to sell himself. He’s worked extremely hard and lowered his body fat from about 15 to 16 percent to 10.”

Batista then fielded calls from Golden State, Sacramento, Houston and Miami before agreeing to join the Timberwolves’ summer league team in Las Vegas. He’ll leave Dallas on Monday and go through workouts before the schedule of games begins on Thursday.

The league is primarily a showcase for unsigned free agents like Batista, as well as draft picks and occasional participation by rookies who saw limited time on NBA rosters the previous season. The Timberwolves acquired Villanova shooting guard Randy Foye in a draft-day trade, then picked up forward Craig Smith of Boston College and Greek center Loukas Mavrokefalidis in the second round.

“They really need a guy at his position,” Bass said of the Timberwolves, who were 33-49 last season and missed the playoffs. “Also, there are 16 teams participating in Vegas and that’s another benefit – so many more teams that can be watching him.”

Morrison is expected to join Charlotte’s entry in the Pepsi Pro Summer League in Orlando, Fla., where six NBA teams will participate July 10-14. He’s then one of 23 players, including just two rookies, due in Las Vegas on July 19 for training camp for USA Basketball’s senior men’s national team.