Karl Anthony Towns ’ basketball journey took off on a high note as he won three New Jersey state championships with St. Joseph High School, and in his lone spell with the Kentucky Wildcats, he led them to the Final Four. This profound success led the 7’0” center to believe that he could have as transformative of an impact on the Minnesota Timberwolves , just like LeBron James had on the Cleveland Cavaliers - wherein The King led them to the NBA Finals in just four years. However, upon entering the NBA, the 4-time All-Star received a harsh reality check regarding the difficulty in achieving success at the highest level.
Towns got a harsh reality check
As he entered the NBA as the No. 1 pick in the 2015 draft, there were high expectations from ‘Special K’ to have a similar impact on the Wolves as Kevin Garnett had. Despite an impressive rookie campaign wherein he won the ROY award after averaging 18.3 points and 10.5 rebounds per game, he could not lead the team any better than a lackluster 29-53 record.
The following four seasons saw Towns elevate his game, averaging 24.3 points per game and registering two All-Star nods and an All-NBA Team selection in that span. Yet, these accolades did not translate into team success, as the Wolves failed to even reach the playoffs in three of those campaigns.
This challenging period made KAT realize that success in the league cannot be achieved alone and that even he required additional stars.
"I thought I had that LeBron effect. I could come in and just do it by myself. But this is the NBA. You realize you really can’t do it by yourself, " Towns said . "It takes a team of people who are willing to sacrifice and be the stars in their roles to really make winning happen... especially in the league we’re talking about we’re playing now, it takes two, three superstars to have a chance."
Related: When Bird predicted MJ would become the future of the NBA during his rookie year: "Pretty soon, this place will be packed every night, not just when the Celtics come to town"
KAT got his wish fulfilled but at a cost
Towns’ desperate desire to have star teammates was fulfilled with the arrival of Anthony Edwards in 2020 and Rudy Gobert in 2022. Edwards’ rapid ascent in the league saw him snatch KAT's No. 1 spot in the franchise. This shift, though potentially challenging for the big man, provided him with a clearer understanding of what it took to achieve success in the NBA - and in his case, it was via embracing a supporting role.
In the last two seasons, Towns’ average reduced to 21.3 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. However, it's the combined impact of Ant-Man’s 25.3 points per game and Gobert’s 12.3 rebounds per game over this period that has propelled the team to new heights, culminating in their recent appearance in the Western Conference Finals.
That being said, this success only suggests that while Towns may have initially desired to be the team’s catalyst, his best to success might lie in his role as a No. 2 co-star. Though perhaps not the primary option he once envisioned himself to be, this position gives him the best chance to attain the Larry O’Brien trophy.
Related: Anthony Edwards on playing alongside LeBron, Steph, KD, and Tatum for Team USA: "I'm still the number one option"
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