Karl-Anthony Towns is officially an NBA champion. After helping lead the New York Knicks to their first championship in 53 years, Towns became the latest former Minnesota Timberwolves star to win a title after leaving the franchise. At this point, the trend has become impossible to ignore.
Kevin Garnett left Minnesota and won a championship with the Boston Celtics in 2008.
Kevin Love left Minnesota and won a championship with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016.
Andrew Wiggins left Minnesota and won a championship with the Golden State Warriors in 2022.
Now, Towns has joined the list after helping the Knicks defeat the San Antonio Spurs in five games during the 2026 NBA Finals.
That means three former No. 1 overall picks drafted by Minnesota have left and won championships elsewhere. Garnett was the fifth overall pick in 1995, Love was the fifth overall pick in 2008, while Wiggins and Towns were all No. 1 selections.
The latest addition to that list raises an obvious question. What about Anthony Edwards?
Edwards has become the face of the Timberwolves franchise and remains one of the NBA’s brightest young superstars. Yet Minnesota’s history with franchise players is becoming difficult to ignore. Time after time, elite talents have eventually found championship success after leaving the organization.
For Towns, this championship carried special meaning.
The former No. 1 overall pick spent nine seasons in Minnesota before being traded to New York. During that time, he endured coaching changes, roster turnover, injuries, playoff disappointments, and personal tragedy. Despite making four All-Star teams and establishing himself as one of the most skilled offensive big men in NBA history, he was often criticized for not winning enough.
Now he has the one accomplishment that silences every debate: An NBA championship. Towns averaged 13.0 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 2.4 assists during the Finals while shooting 49.0% from the field and 33.3% from three-point range. While those numbers don’t jump off the page, his impact extended far beyond the box score.
His defense against Victor Wembanyama was arguably his biggest contribution.
Wembanyama still produced strong numbers, averaging 27.8 points and 10.5 rebounds, but Towns consistently battled him physically throughout the series. He made life difficult for the Spurs superstar, absorbed contact, and helped anchor a Knicks defense that repeatedly came up with big stops during critical stretches.
The championship also adds another chapter to a remarkable Timberwolves pattern. Minnesota has often produced elite talent, but the ultimate success has frequently come somewhere else. Garnett won in Boston. Love won in Cleveland. Wiggins won in Golden State. Now, Towns has won in New York.
For Timberwolves fans, it is a frustrating list. For Towns, it is validation. The trade that sent him to New York was heavily debated when it happened. Less than two years later, the Knicks are champions, and Towns has the ring that eluded him throughout his Minnesota career.
The biggest question now is whether Anthony Edwards will eventually break the cycle or become the next Timberwolves star to find championship glory after leaving Minnesota.
Only time will tell. For now, Karl-Anthony Towns has officially joined one of the most unusual trends in modern NBA history.
