Anything that a New York Knicks star does makes headlines very fast in the Big Apple. Last season, Karl-Anthony Towns was out of action due to a thumb injury. He came out to support his teammates against the Philadelphia 76ers but made the cardinal sin of wearing Eagles gear. After halftime, he changed into a Knicks jacket.
The Eagles’ sweater received instant reactions from the commentary box, the Knicks fans in the stadium, and even people watching online. During his recent visit to The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon, he clarified it.
“What actually happened is, and I’m glad we can clear this up now, so, first half’s going on, team’s playing well, it’s a tight game. [I was] screaming for my teammates, obviously, I go back for the first half, pit stains! I can’t have pit stains on ESPN now. I’m not going to allow that!” Towns said.
“So I’m thinking, ‘yo, I have a whole other starter’s jacket, Eagles, in the bag, but the ball boys, they do so much work. If anyone watching this is a ball boy for any team, shoutout to you; the work y’all do is second to none. So I was thinking I could make them go back to the bus to get the starter jacket, then I’m like, man, they do enough work,” the big man added.
He revealed that his thought process had nothing to do with the perception; he hadn’t realised even till then that this would be a talking point. But as a Knick, especially if they’re doing well, you will be noticed at all times.
“I came out, didn’t know that it was going to be a story. I should’ve known better. When you’re a Knick, you know!… Anywhere I go, I’m going to support my Eagles,” he confessed.
For Towns, it was an ode to his favorite NFL team, but for the fans and those in attendance, it looked like a betrayal of allegiances.
Karl-Anthony Towns Explains His Eagles Fandom
During the interview with Jimmy Fallon, Towns revealed how he became an Eagles fan and the impact that that franchise has had on him.
“When I grew up, I was in an impressionable age… and watching Terrell Owens, who was one of my favorite players ever, growing up, and watching him play for the Eagles, with Donovan McNabb, Brian Westbrook, and Mr. Dawkins,” the New York Knicks star said.
He was talking about the era of Eagles football that saw them come very close to winning it all, but falling short at the biggest stage.
“So, I was just in that age where I was watching them play, they went to the Super Bowl that year, and ended up losing. But we made up for it later. But what an amazing team, man, what an amazing childhood they gave me.” Towns revealed.
The Eagles lost to the dynastic New England Patriots in the Super Bowl in 2004. It was a close game, but Owens was partially injured, and McNabb had an exceptionally mixed game with three touchdowns but three interceptions as well.
So the die-hard Eagles fans had to wait till 2016 to win the Super Bowl. And it was Nick Foles, a backup quarterback, who famously went on a Cinderella run in that year’s playoffs and beat Tom Brady’s Patriots to complete the story.
