For a golden-haired kid from Duluth and a teenager from Nigeria, Rick Rickert and Ndudi Ebi have more in common than one would think.

The Timberwolves' two rookie draft picks, who were formally introduced Saturday at a news conference at Target Center, both passed on college degrees for professional careers. At 195 and 215 pounds, they both fall well short of the optimum size for an NBA forward. But now that they've taken the plunge, Rickert and Ebi will have to get on the court and legitimize their places in the league.

Unfortunately, for Rickert, that might be where their common ground ends.

Ebi, a 6-9 forward from Westbury Christian High School in Houston who ditched his plans to attend Arizona to enter the draft, said he has signed a three-year contract with the Timberwolves on Saturday. Rickert will battle through the summer and early fall for a place on the team.

With the stability of a freshly signed contract, Ebi seemed confident he could prove himself on the floor.

"I'm going to let my game just go wherever it takes me," he said.