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Karl-Anthony Towns Focused on Knicks in Minnesota Return

New York Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns will face the Minnesota Timberwolves for the first time in his career.

Jeremy Brener

Dec 15, 2024; Orlando, Florida, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) shoots the ball against the Orlando Magic in the second quarter at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Reper-Imagn Images
Dec 15, 2024; Orlando, Florida, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) shoots the ball against the Orlando Magic in the second quarter at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Reper-Imagn Images / Jeremy Reper-Imagn Images
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New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns called Minneapolis home for nine years before he was traded just before the start of training camp to the Big Apple.

While Towns, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, built a legacy in Minnesota, he is focused on the here and now for his new team.

“Every game is important," Towns said when asked about the importance of returning to his former home. "It will be cool to be in the house. ... You never know how the fans will respond. For me, my
household, I know what I gave that organization, and I am happy and proud for what I was able
to do.”

A lot of hype has been surrounded this Knicks vs. Wolves matchup ever since the trade was announced back in late September. It's been given the national TV treatment, appearing as the second game of a doubleheader on TNT's Thursday night coverage, but this is one game out of 82 for Towns as he focuses on being the best player he can be for the Knicks.

Players "returning home" has been a constant theme for the NBA, especially in the newer era of the league where stars change teams much more frequently. We've already seen it earlier this year with Klay Thompson playing against the Golden State Warriors for the first time and Mikal Bridges going against the Brooklyn Nets, but now the time has come for Towns.

He's anticipating a tribute video shown at the beginning of the game on the jumbotron and he's open to feeling his emotions before the game, but he's going into Target Center like he has many times before with the same idea in mind: giving it 100 percent for his team while trying to grab a win.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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