A dominant force on the court, Karl-Anthony Towns, has proven himself to be one of the best big men in the game. But off the court in 2020, KAT has faced some very tragic, and unfortunate events.
Covid 19 has plagued the world and caused many to be deeply affected. In Towns’ case, he has lost 7 family members alone in the past year, including his near and dear mother, who died this past April. As the NBA season takes way, a broken Karl-Anothony Towns stated he will try to battle his own adversities and compete for the Timberwolves.
The Minnesota Timberwolves, a team that faced internal struggles over the last couple of years in the office, has set out to regrow their team through young stars. Their most important, and literal centerpiece for the team, being Towns. Last year, Minnesota also acquired rising Point Guard D’Angelo Russell in a trade for Andrew Wiggins. The team also made some major shakups this offseason when they drafted shooting guard Anthony Edwards with the 1st overall pick in the draft. This pick will for sure shake up the franchise and hopefully help propel them into playoff contention. Other players acquired include Ricky Rubio, Ed Davis, and Jaden McDaniels. Other returning players are that of Juancho Hernangomez, Malik Beasley, and last year's first round pick Jarrett Culver.
KAT has approached the media about recent events and stated, “No matter how bad my situation is, how f—ed up my life is, I’m gonna keep being here for these guys.” He has taken the responsibility of being a leader of the team, whilst smiling through the pain, as he says he owes it to his teammates. Truly this seems to be a massive burden that KAT is placing on himself, but he explains that his love for the game of basketball goes beyond his teammates.
"I play this game more because I just loved watching my family members seeing me play a game I was very successful and good at. It always brought me a smile when I saw my mom at the baseline and in the stands and stuff and having a good time watching me play," states Towns. He also discusses that the game of basketball won’t ever be a true form of therapy for him, but rather a way that he can relive memories out on the court.
Coaches, players, and fans of the Timberwolves and specifically, KAT, have sent their best wishes to him, and pray that this series of grim events seizes to an end. But, as the NBA season kicks off, KAT has been honored by his teammates in multiple ways. On the team's opening night, a moment of silence was held before tipoff, and the team gathered around Towns to share their condolences. Then, after a 111-101 win for the Timberwolves, D’Angelo Russell and the rest of the team awarded him with the game ball.
At the end of the game, Russel said to Towns, “Don’t throw the ball, keep the ball. That’s for moms. That’s for moms.” In an outing where KAT led his team to victory, he also posted a fantastic stat line with 22 points, 11 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 blocks. He later said during an interview, “I’m just happy I got this for her. I told her I wanted to get her this win and get her this ball, so I’m just happy I was able to get it done.” In a night where the emotions of Towns had to be at an all time high on the court, he earned a well deserved game ball for his leadership, his performance, and his battle to even take the floor, after all of the tragedy he has faced.
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