Every NBA rookie has their “welcome to the NBA moment” but for Karl-Anthony Towns, his came years before his first professional game. In a chat on The Rich Eisen Show, the Timberwolves center detailed his encounter with the Mamba and went on to explain how it shaped his first years in the NBA.
“I didn’t have that welcome moment with Kobe because I had already played Kobe in high school when I played against The Dream Team V2 back in high school,” Towns said. “It was him, Bron, Kevin Love, Tyson Chandler. I had played against them on the Dominican Republic National Team in Vegas. So I kind of had that moment already, like, wow, I’m on the court with Kobe Bryant.”
“I think when I first came to the NBA, I wanted to impact the league and show my worth, earn my spot, earn my respect,” Towns said. “So, I was so focused on that I didn’t really have that welcome to the NBA moment until later in the season when I finally slowed down a little bit, and I’m looking at my jersey in Target Center, and I’m like wow, this really says Wolves, 32 Towns. I was finally understanding that I’m a real NBA player.”
Towns was there for Team USA training camp in 2012, against LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and other NBA legends. While he did not participate in the main event, he rubbed shoulders with some of the greats and got some valuable experience playing with Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant.
As a legend of the game and of the sports world itself, Kobe Bryant inspired countless athletes to work hard and pursue their biggest passions in life. During his career, Bryant was a 5x champion and a former MVP who put everything on the line to maximize his game. While he aged out before Towns’ best years, Kobe clearly left a strong impression on the young star center. For Towns, he got a taste of that legendary work ethic as a young teenager and it gave him the edge he needed to become a star in the NBA.
Towns, 28, was drafted 1st overall in 2015. Over nine years with the Timberwolves, Towns is averaging 21.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game on 50.4% shooting. This past season, alongside Anthony Edwards, Towns helped to lead the Wolves to the West Finals — their best stretch in modern franchise history.
Today, with ambitions of a championship run, Towns is already preparing for the 2024-25 campaign and it could be the best chance the Timberwolves have of going the way. Regardless of what happens, Towns has big expectations going forward and he’ll have to take his game to another level if he wants his team to have a chance for the title.
Thanks to greats like Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Kevin Garnett, Towns already has a good idea of what it takes to be great and the pressure will be on for him to deliver on his best season yet.
Thank you for being a valued reader of Fadeaway World. If you liked this article, please consider following us on Google News. We appreciate your support.
