If you're analyzing a NBA player's career and you see 23 points per game on high efficiency with 11 boards per game, you'd likely label that as an impressive career. Those are numbers that kids dream of while growing up with NBA asiprations. That resume belongs to Karl-Anthony Towns and despite his All-Star level play throughout his career, he's somewhat flown under the radar with all the scrutiny he's endured and he may not get the full respect he deserves.
"I think there's no cap on that," Towns says on not getting enough respect. "All I gotta say is I've stayed a professional since day one and I've always put the NBA logo, the Timberwolves organization before myself."
Whether you agree or not, Towns will go down as one of the best shooting big men the game has ever seen. He can score on all three levels as a 7-footer and shoots the three ball at nearly 40 percent for his career on high volume. These aren't just catch and shoot threes either.
"Women lie. Men lie. Numbers don't." Towns says. "I feel I've done a lot. I've been very fortunate to have people like Dirk Nowitzki and people who made it even possible for me to shoot at my size."
While Towns play on the court has been the focus for many, his own focus goes deeper than basketball. KAT has always been active in the community especially when it comes to social justice. He recently helped launch a new short film, 'Forgiving Johnny,' which highlights the forgiveness and impact that digitization has within the justice system. We caught up with KAT to talk about the new film, the upcoming NBA season, and why he believes he's the greatest shooting big man
This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.
Can you to talk about the film ‘Forgiving Johnny’ that you helped put together?
An LA public defender, Noah Cox, uses technology to get the system to forgive Johnny Reyes, who is serving possibly 20 years. So, my whole mission since I've been in Minnesota, obviously with George Floyd ad Philando Castile, has been always about social justice and fighting for people of color, but also fighting for all the kids out there.
So they feel they have an equal opportunity. And I feel like obviously the system is what it is. I think we all know that especially men of color. So just showing how creative you can be to not get stuck in the system and also ways that we're talking about the new wave of technology. So using technology to help people especially who are caught up in the system. I was very honored to be able to work and help with this project and I hope that everyone enjoys it and learns a lot about themselves and the system in it.
How important is being vocal about these topics especially with your platform?
It's massive. I think it's very important. You know, this game of basketball is, is, is such an amazing job to have an amazing title to have as a professional NBA basketball player.
But also, it comes with a huge responsibility and in that responsibility, the job is to make sure you leave the world, the game and your community in a better place than when you started. My vision has always been clear about what I wanted to accomplish. And I've been blessed that with the more success I've had in NBA. I've been able to have a grander stage to be able to be vocal about these issues and for people to hear me.
We can't jump into the NBA season without discussing what you did this summer. What was it like suiting up for your country in the World Cup?
I'm so honored and blessed and my country gave me a chance to be on that team and it, really was an experience that I wouldn't trade it for anything. I was able to go out there, represent my mother, represent my country, our country and to meet teammates I haven't seen in 13 years and to meet the new guys that I've been able to see. And the next wave of great Dominican basketball players, Montero and Andres out there, it was really cool to be out there to see these guys and play basketball with them at the highest level.
It really meant a lot to be in the World Cup. I made the World Cup with the Dominican team years ago, but I actually didn't get to play in it because I was going to college to start my freshman year at Kentucky. But, it was fun to be able to get this go around to be able to play.
When I say Karl-Anthony Towns is the best big man shooter of all-time...
No cap. Women lie. Men lie. Numbers don't. I feel I've done a lot. I've been very fortunate to have people like Dirk Nowitzki and people who made it even possible for me to shoot at my size. Those big man shooters who've been just pivotal in the game, able to accept someone like me shooting threes and you know, doing what I do without them. They've shown the blueprint and I feel like I've just been blessed to have something like that where I came into the league and I could show what I could do. I'm always gonna have confidence in myself... I definitely believe that's no cap.
Do you feel like you haven't received enough respect in your career?
I think there's no cap on that. All I gotta say is I've stayed a professional since day one and I've always put the NBA logo, the Timberwolves organization before myself. And I think that earns respect in its own self.
After last year, do you feel like you have something to prove? Is there a chip on your shoulder?
I feel like I always got something to prove. That's just the way the game is, that's the way sports world works, you know. There's always something to prove. So I'm just going to come in, I think the first thing off, stay healthy. You know, it's just stay on the court. I want to make sure I can do all I can do there. I've been very fortunate.
I had a great summer, I feel really good so I'm really happy about that. But secondly, I'm not here to prove people wrong. I'm here to prove that I could be the best version of myself every day. I go into the gym every day with the biggest critic all the time and that's myself. So got to find ways to beat the biggest critic I know which is myself every day and compete at a high level and you know, obviously be the best, best teammate and be the best player I can be for my guys and hopefully that grind brings a lot more wins.
