BROOKLYN, N.Y. — Just one year removed from being Syracuse’s fifth scoring option, Rakeem Christmas is headed to the NBA.

It took three fruitless seasons for Christmas to show the potential that had only been promised before it, but everything came together Thursday night when he was taken 36th overall in the second round by the Minnesota Timberwolves at Barclays Center.

The Cleveland Cavaliers then flipped former Duke forward Tyus Jones, who the Cavaliers selected with the 24th overall pick, for the rights to Christmas, forward Cedi Osman and a future second-round pick.

Christmas led Syracuse in scoring and rebounding with 17.5 points per game and 9.1 rebounds per game. The No. 3 overall pick Jahlil Okafor from Duke said on Wednesday that Christmas was one of the best big men in the Atlantic Coast Conference. That season, though, was just one year removed from a 5.8-point- 5.1-rebound-per-game campaign.

He opened even more eyes at the NBA Combine where he showed explosiveness in the post and the ability to shoot a mid-range jumper, which was something he rarely got to do in Syracuse’s system. He was one of the oldest players to get drafted, with his 24th birthday coming up in December.

Christmas had been projected by many to be an early-to-middle second round pick.