- Karl-Anthony Towns spoke about the perception of international players among NBA fans
- Towns says the players are a lot better than what the average fan thinks
- Towns says some of the best players in the NBA are now international players
Karl-Anthony Towns believes a lot of NBA fans have no idea just how good international players are now. Towns has been playing for the Dominican Republic at the 2023 FIBA World Cup, and he was asked if playing at the tournament would help him this upcoming season.
“For sure, got an early start to playing basketball,” Towns said. “We’re playing the best in the world. I’m in the NBA and I see NBA fans, they just don’t know the players, so they think, what I saw (was) plumbers and engineers. These are the best players in the entire world playing in one building, in one tournament.”
Towns stated that some of the very best players in the NBA are now international.
“You may not know their names, but I can guarantee you that many of them (if they) stepped on the court with anybody, they can get the job done,” Towns added. “The game is international. Some of the best players now in the NBA are all international. Obviously, the world is bigger than just America.”
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The international players do deserve a lot more respect than what the average fan gives them. You’d think they would have earned some after Team USA lost to Lithuania on Sunday.
Sure, the U.S. is still the best when all the stars are playing, but the rest of the world has been catching up. The gulf in talent isn’t as massive as it once was, and these international teams just play better as a team than the U.S.
Gilbert Arenas Thinks International Players No Longer Fear Team USA
There has understandably been a lot of negative reaction following that loss to Lithuania. Gilbert Arenas thinks international players no longer fear Team USA, and he believes the mystique of playing against NBA players is gone.
Considering a fair few of these international players have played in the NBA themselves, it really wouldn’t be there. Also as Towns mentioned, some of the very best players in the NBA are now international.
Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo are widely regarded as the two best players in the league. There has never been another point in history when you had two foreign players at the very top, and it gives everyone else the belief that they can go toe-to-toe with the U.S.
Karl-Anthony Towns Balled Out At The FIBA World Cup
The Dominican Republic bowed out of the World Cup in the Second Round, but they can be proud of how well they performed.
Towns, in particular, shone as the Minnesota Timberwolves star averaged 24.4 points, 8.0 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.0 blocks per game in five outings.
The 27-year-old had some exceptional performances like the one against Puerto Rico, where he had 39 points and 10 rebounds. These kinds of displays bode well ahead of the 2023-24 NBA season.
Towns was out injured for much of last season and then failed to have much of an impact in the playoffs when he did return. He’d be keen to make amends and help the team have a strong campaign.
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