Scouting for prospects in the NBA is becoming more and more a global affair.

Beating the bushes on all the continents is required these days .

The Timberwolves pick 26th in the first round of the June 26 draft.

A record 31 international players applied for early entry. One of them, 7-foot-4 Serbian center Slavko Vranes, was one of five players who worked out for the Wolves on Friday.

"It makes it much more difficult," said Rob Babcock, the Wolves' vice president of player personnel. "It's not just the foreign players anymore, it's the foreign underclassmen. They are starting to come out early, too. The man hours to do it is staggering."