Phoenix, Arizona, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) handles the ball during the fourth quarter against the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Karl-Anthony Towns: "I Was A Boy Then, I Am A Man Now"
New York Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns made his way to Madison Square Garden on Tuesday for Arkansas' clash with Michigan. Towns joined ESPN's crew for the game at halftime where he was asked about his maturation process from when he went to the Minnesota Timberwolves to now at this stage of his career with the Knicks.
“You know when you get older, you see things with a different lens," Towns said. "Life has taught me a lot and experience has taught me a ton. For me to be in this position at this age, at this maturity level with this understanding of life now. I was a boy then. I am a man now.
"So for me to be in this situation, being back home, being at the mecca, with everything that came with it and obviously how I got here, it makes this process much easier and more understanding with it," Towns added.
Towns is 29 years old now and is in his 10th season in the NBA. He has grown a lot over the years and has handled this trade to the Knicks quite well considering the circumstances.
Towns never wanted to leave the Timberwolves, who selected him with the first pick in the 2015 NBA Draft. He was completely caught off guard by their decision to trade him and it was clear he was deeply affected by it. Towns even revealed he thought he was going to retire with the Timberwolves, only for those plans to be dashed. He has shrugged off that disappointment in some style, though.
Towns had a slow start to his tenure with the Knicks but is now thriving for his new team. The four-time All-Star is averaging 25.1 points, 13.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 0.8 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game in 2024-25. He is shooting 53.1% from the field and 44.7% from beyond the arc too, which is quite remarkable.
Towns' strong play has helped the Knicks turn things around as well. They were 4-5 after nine games but after a 113-108 win over the Toronto Raptors on Monday, have improved to 15-9.
Towns was excellent yet again in that game against the Raptors. He put up 24 points (7-13 FG), 15 rebounds, six assists, two steals, and two blocks in the contest and came up big in the big moments too. He scored 10 points in the fourth quarter, hitting the dagger three-pointer at the end to put the Raptors away for good.
There were some concerns raised when the Knicks decided to trade for Towns, but it's safe to say they made the right call. He has been a great fit and I do believe has raised their ceiling. Would I pick them to beat the Boston Celtics in the playoffs, though? Probably not, but they're as good a bet as anyone to dethrone the defending champions.
While the Knicks have their eyes on the ultimate prize, their attention at present would be on the NBA Cup quarterfinal clash against the Atlanta Hawks at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday at 7 PM ET. The Knicks had bowed out at this stage last year but are a good bet to advance this time around.
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