MINNEAPOLIS-Center and Bloomington native Cole Aldrich signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves Wednesday.
Aldrich, 27, averaged 5.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 13.3 minutes per game last season with the Los Angeles Clippers. He started five games for the Clippers in 2015-16, averaging 15.8 points, 11.0 rebounds and 2.4 steals in 29.6 minutes per contest.
Aldrich posted career highs in field goal percentage (59.6), blocks per game (1.13) and steals per game (0.78) and was the only player in the NBA last season to record a game of at least 21 points, 18 rebounds and five steals.
The 6-11 center owns career averages of 3.6 points, 3.7 rebounds and 0.8 blocks in parts of six NBA seasons with Los Angeles, New York, Sacramento, Houston and Oklahoma City.
Aldrich was originally the 11th overall selection in the 2010 NBA Draft by New Orleans before his draft rights were traded to Oklahoma City July 8, 2010.
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Aldrich starred for Bloomington Jefferson High School, earning 2007 Minnesota State High School Player of the Year honors from Gatorade, the Minneapolis Star Tribune and St. Paul Pioneer Press as he led the Jaguars to Lake Conference and Section 2-4A titles. Aldrich was also named a McDonald's All-American in 2006.
He went on to play for the University of Kansas where he averaged 9.4 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.3 blocks in three years as a Jayhawk. Aldrich was a consensus second-team All-American and a Wooden Award Finalist his junior season before declaring for the NBA draft.
