Karl-Anthony Towns facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Karl-Anthony Towns

Towns at the 2022 NBA All-Star Game
No. 32 – New York Knicks
Center
Personal information
Born	(1995-11-15) November 15, 1995 (age 29) Edison, New Jersey, U.S.
Nationality	American / Dominican
High school	St. Joseph (Metuchen, New Jersey)
Listed height	7 ft 0 in (2.13 m)
Listed weight	248 lb (112 kg)
Career information
College	Kentucky (2014–2015)
NBA Draft	2015 / Round: 1 / Pick: 1st overall
Selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves
Pro career	2015–present
League	NBA
Career history
2015–2024	Minnesota Timberwolves
2024–present	New York Knicks
Career highlights and awards
5× NBA All-Star (2018, 2019, 2022, 2024, 2025) 3× All-NBA Third Team (2018, 2022, 2025) NBA Rookie of the Year (2016) NBA All-Rookie First Team (2016) NBA Three-Point Contest champion (2022) Consensus second-team All-American (2015) SEC Freshman of the Year (2015) First-team All-SEC (2015) Gatorade National Player of the Year (2014) McDonald's All-American (2014) First-team Parade All-American (2014)
Medals Men's basketball Representing  Dominican Republic Centrobasket Gold 2012 Puerto Rico National Team

Karl-Anthony Towns Jr. (born November 15, 1995), often called “KAT”, is a professional basketball player. He plays for the New York Knicks in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He also played college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats.

Towns was chosen as the very first player in the 2015 NBA draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves. He was named the Rookie of the Year for the 2015–16 season. He is a five-time NBA All-Star and has been named to the All-NBA Team three times. In 2022, he became the first center to win the NBA Three-Point Contest. After nine seasons with the Timberwolves, Towns joined the Knicks in 2024. He helped lead the Knicks to the Eastern Conference finals in 2025.

Early Life and Family

Karl-Anthony Towns was born in Edison, New Jersey. His father, Karl Towns Sr., is African-American. His mother, Jacqueline Cruz, is Dominican. He grew up in Piscataway, New Jersey.

His father played basketball in college. He also coached basketball at a high school. Karl-Anthony practiced with the junior varsity team when he was only in fifth grade.

High School Basketball

Towns dunking in the 2014 McDonald's All-American Boys Game

As a freshman at St. Joseph High School, Towns led his basketball team to a state championship in 2012. He also helped his team win state titles in 2013 and 2014.

When he was 16, Towns was chosen to play for the Dominican Republic national team. He was able to play for them because his mother is from the Dominican Republic. The coach for this team was John Calipari, who later became Towns' college coach.

In December 2012, Towns decided to finish high school early. He committed to play for Coach Calipari at the Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team. Towns was a great student and was named the 2014 Gatorade Player of the Year.

College Career at Kentucky

Towns shooting a free throw against the Florida Gators in 2015

At Kentucky, Towns played in a special "platoon system." This system limited how many minutes each player played. He averaged 10.3 points and 6.7 rebounds per game.

Towns studied kinesiology in college. He hopes to become a doctor after his basketball career. Even though he left Kentucky for the NBA, he continued taking online classes. He was named a second-team All-American. On April 9, 2015, Towns and several teammates decided to enter the NBA draft.

Professional Basketball Career

Minnesota Timberwolves (2015–2024)

Rookie of the Year Season (2015–2016)

On June 25, 2015, the Minnesota Timberwolves picked Karl-Anthony Towns as the first player in the 2015 NBA draft. He played his first NBA game on October 28, scoring 14 points and grabbing 12 rebounds.

Towns was named Western Conference Rookie of the Month multiple times. On February 13, 2016, he won the NBA All-Star Weekend Skills Challenge. He became the tallest and youngest player to win this event. Towns played and started in all 82 games in his first season. He was named the NBA Rookie of the Year by everyone who voted. He was also named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team.

Becoming an All-Star (2016–2018)

On November 30, 2016, Towns scored a career-high 47 points and had 18 rebounds. On December 28, he achieved his first triple-double. This means he had double-digit numbers in three categories: points, rebounds, and assists.

In 2017, Towns made NBA history. He became the only player to have at least 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, and 100 three-pointers in one season. On January 23, 2018, Towns was chosen as an NBA All-Star for the first time. On March 28, 2018, he scored a team-record 56 points. He also had 15 rebounds in that game.

The Timberwolves made the playoffs in 2018 for the first time since 2004. Towns led the NBA with 68 double-doubles that season.

Franchise Player and Injuries (2018–2021)

Towns (left) and Taj Gibson in 2019

On September 23, 2018, Towns signed a big contract extension with the Timberwolves. On January 12, 2019, he had a career-high 27 rebounds in a game.

In February 2019, Towns missed his first career game after a car accident. He had started 303 games in a row before that. He finished the season with his highest rebounding average yet, at 12.4 rebounds per game.

In October 2019, Towns was suspended for two games after an argument with another player. He finished that season with his highest scoring average, 26.5 points per game.

In December 2020, Towns joined a special group of NBA legends. He became one of only a few players to get over 8,000 points, 4,000 rebounds, and 1,000 assists in 360 games or less. In January 2021, Towns got COVID-19 and missed 13 games.

Three-Point Contest Champion (2021–2022)

On February 3, 2022, Towns was again named an NBA All-Star. On February 19, he won the NBA Three-Point Contest. He became the first center to ever win this contest.

On March 14, Towns scored a career-high and Timberwolves team-record 60 points. He also had 17 rebounds in that game. He joined Shaquille O'Neal and Wilt Chamberlain as the only centers in NBA history to have a 60-point, 15-rebound game. The Timberwolves made the playoffs in 2022 but lost in the first round.

Injury and Comeback (2022–2024)

In November 2022, Towns suffered a calf injury that kept him out for several months. He returned in April 2023 and helped the Timberwolves make the play-in tournament. They were eliminated from the playoffs by the Denver Nuggets.

On January 22, 2024, Towns scored another career-high and Timberwolves record of 62 points. He was named an All-Star again in February 2024. In March 2024, he was diagnosed with a torn meniscus, which is a knee injury.

Towns returned for the playoffs and helped the Timberwolves win their first playoff series in 20 years. They advanced to the Western Conference Finals for the first time in 20 years.

New York Knicks (2024–Present)

On October 2, 2024, Towns was traded to the New York Knicks. On October 29, he scored 44 points and had 13 rebounds in a win. This was the most points by a Knicks center since Patrick Ewing in 1995.

On December 19, Towns played his first game back in Minnesota against his old team. He had 32 points, 20 rebounds, and 6 assists. He was named Eastern Conference Player of the Month for December. On January 25, 2025, Towns was named an Eastern Conference starter for the 2025 NBA All-Star Game. On March 25, Towns achieved his first triple-double as a Knick. He had 26 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists.

In the Eastern Conference Finals, Towns scored a playoff career-high 35 points in Game 1. The Knicks lost the series in six games.

Playing for His Country

Towns has played for the Dominican Republic national team since 2012. He first played for them when he was 16 years old. He also played for them in the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup. He was one of the top scorers in that tournament.

Player Profile

Karl-Anthony Towns is known for being a great shooter, even though he plays as a center. He averages 40% from the three-point line in his career. He and Dirk Nowitzki are the only 7-footers to ever win the NBA Three-Point Contest.

Experts say Towns is unique because he can shoot so well and also be strong at getting rebounds. He can play different positions because of his skills. While he is great at offense, some people have noted that his defense could improve.

Personal Life

In April 2020, Towns' mother passed away due to complications from COVID-19. Towns has shared that six other family members also died after getting COVID-19. He started dating Jordyn Woods in March 2020.

In 2024, Towns received the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion Award. This award recognized his work for social justice, like advocating for voting rights. He also produced a short documentary about the justice system.

Towns is a fan of the Philadelphia Eagles football team. He grew up as a Knicks fan.

Career Statistics

NBA

Regular season

Playoffs

College

See also

In Spanish: Karl-Anthony Towns para niños

• List of NBA single-game scoring leaders
• List of people from the Dominican Republic