Ronny Turiaf: 'I hate facing Nikola Pekovic'

Ronny Turiaf has said that he is glad that he will not have to play against Nikola Pekovic anymore.

The center, who joined the Minnesota Timberwolves earlier this year, has faced his new teammate five times earlier in his career.

The 27-year-old told the team's official website: "I can tell you I'm looking forward to having him on my team. I'm really excited about that. I'm looking forward to it. I know I hate playing against him, because he's a guy that's relentless.

"I'm looking forward to getting him better. Having to guard me in practice, I know he's going to hate me. But we're going to make each other better, because that's going to make me a better defender having to guard him every day, and I know I'm going to make him a better offensive player by just making his life a living hell every day in practice.

"He's a very smart player who knows what he can do, and he's going to do that at all costs. That's what makes him so successful. He's pound-for-pound the strongest center that I had to guard. Hands down. You see that in the games."

Turiaf averaged 1.9 points per game during the 2012-13 NBA season.