Karl-Anthony Towns was selected to be a part of the NBA All Star Game in Los Angeles. The 2018 edition is going to be one of the best yet, as they bring together some young talent that could help propel the league into an exciting new era.
Karl-Anthony Towns is one of the best young players in the NBA. He has a lot of potential, and he deserves more respect than what he gets.
During NBA All-Star Weekend, Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns demonstrated why he is one of the best players in the game. Despite his exceptional talent and flexibility, he is seldom regarded with MVP hopefuls Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid as a generation’s top big man. Even his brilliance in Cleveland couldn’t keep a feeling of snobbery from creeping in.
Why isn’t Towns treated with the respect he deserves?
Towns won the Three-Point Shootout after claiming to be the best big man shooter in NBA history. The T-wolves are in contention for their first postseason spot since 2018. Thanks to his outstanding season and dedication to Minnesota’s defensive improvements, the T-wolves are in contention for their first playoff berth since 2018.
Towns, on the other hand, often seems like an afterthought in debates about the NBA’s finest players. It often seems like teammate Anthony Edwards gets more attention than he does. This has to change right now.
During NBA All-Star Weekend, Karl-Anthony Towns appeared out of place at times.
Over the weekend, Towns became viral, but not for his shooting exploits.
For his contact with Michael Jordan, the Timberwolves center became the brunt of Twitter jokes. MJ orchestrated a funny sneak assault when he welcomed Dallas Mavericks player Luka Doncic in a weekend footage. When Towns walked over to say hi, Mike acted as if he didn’t know who he was talking to.
That wasn’t the only time Towns looked out of place. A different backstage clip (one actually tweeted by the Timberwolves) showed KAT in discussion with former T-wolves legend Kevin Garnett, only for Paul Pierce and Kevin McHale to interrupt to take a picture of Boston Celtics players who made the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team. Towns hung around for a bit of an awkward photoshoot.
These instances should be regarded with a grain of salt for the time being. Nobody ever called Towns a jerk. Nonetheless, they appeared to serve as a reminder that Towns does not always get the recognition he deserves.
He was one of the finest big men of his generation.
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Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid are front-runners for MVP. Karl-Anthony Towns may not get much MVP discussion, but he belongs in the same class as those players as one of this generation’s top big men.
Towns is one of the most versatile and exciting attacking big men in the league. On 52.7 percent shooting, he has career averages of 23.1 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 3.1 assists, including 39.6 percent from beyond the arc on a monstrous 4.1 attempts per game.
Towns is averaging 24.4 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game this season, while shooting 40.9 percent from three-point range. According to StatMuse, he’s one of just six players with at least one steal and one block per 30 games played.
Towns is a perimeter player who can make three-pointers and attack closeouts off the dribble. Towns is skillful and smart enough to search for the extra pass when his ability to go downhill draws the help defense. On the block, the former Kentucky standout can score in a variety of ways, including facing up and dribbling past opponents or bulldozing his way into the restricted area.
Towns’ ball-handling skills and remarkable speed for a big man make him a transition threat. He has the ability to grab rebounds and initiate breaks on his own, causing teams to scramble before they can even get set.
Defense against pick-and-rolls and reflexes around the rim may still be improved. Towns, Jokic, and Embiid are separated by this line. Still, the 26-year-old has a place in the debate, and he looks to be improving.
As the Timberwolves rise in the standings, the degree of respect in the community should rise as well.
On February 19, 2022 in Cleveland, Ohio, Karl-Anthony Towns celebrates winning the 3-Point Contest as part of All-Star Weekend at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse | Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images
The Timberwolves seem to be on the upswing. Their upward-trending arrow should also earn Karl-Anthony Towns more respect.
The Timberwolves have been ranked sixth in the NBA in offensive rating since the beginning of February, according to NBA.com, resulting in a 6-3 start to the month. Towns deserves a lot of credit for their accomplishments.
For the month, the New Jersey native has a true shooting percentage of 65.4 percent. In his past nine games, he’s averaging 4.6 assists, his best split of the season. Minnesota has began to use Towns as a screener in more short-roll situations, and it has paid off. According to NBA.com, he averaged 1.18 points per 100 possessions as a roll man. Towns’ short-roll efforts have sometimes resulted in elbow touches, demonstrating his playmaking prowess.
While the T-wolves’ early-season defensive gains have since faded, Minnesota remains competitive on that end and has demonstrated significant offensive progress. The Timberwolves should benefit from this as they compete for a playoff spot.
Minnesota’s ascent is anchored by towns. He deserves greater credit, which should come if the T-wolves’ small-market performance continues to improve.
Unless otherwise stated, all stats are courtesy of Basketball Reference.
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