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Knicks Star Posts Emotional Minnesota Video

Karl-Anthony Towns posted a heartfelt tribute to his original NBA home prior to his visit tonight with the New York Knicks.

Geoff Magliocchetti

Oct 13, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels (3), left, embraces New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32), right, before the game at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Oct 13, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels (3), left, embraces New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32), right, before the game at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
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New York Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns told the world that he's coming home.

In anticipation of Thursday's anticipated return to Minneapolis to face his original NBA employers, the Minnesota Timberwolves (9:30 p.m. ET, MSG/TNT), Towns posted an emotional tribute video to the city on his social media channels hours before tip-off.

Towns' impact on the Target Center hardwood is self-explanatory but the center opted to look back on his off-court activities in Minneapolis.

"Y'all have given me so much," Towns says, addressing a crowd of Minnesotans in the video. "So the least I could do is giveback."

What follows is a montage of Towns partaking in charitable and public endeavors from his time as a Timberwolf. Towns' off-court work was well-documented by observers in the north and he happens to be the most recent winner of the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion title originally earned by Carmelo Anthony in 2021.

Thursday is set to be an emotional night on all sides, as Towns will be stationed in Target Center's visitors' locker room for the first time. Last season was the last part of a nine-year run in Minneapolis that saw him finish at or near the top in several major franchise statistical lists, trailing only Kevin Garnett on many occasions. His run in overseeing the Wolves' lengthy rebuild culminated in a long-sought visit to the Western Conference Finals.

Towns, however, was not immune to financial pruning, as he and his big contract were sent to New York in exchange for Donte DiVincenzo and Julius Randle. If the Minnesota locker room is any indication, Towns is due for a warm welcome from Target Center tonight--the 48 minutes of game time notwithstanding, of course.

"e's been here for nine, ten years and this is the first time he's been on the other side, I am sure it will be (emotional)," Wolves forward Naz Reid said, per Tony Liebert of Timberwolves on SI. "I'll be right there with him, he's a guy that's taught me the ropes. He kind of helped me get into the position that I am in today. Obviously, we have to compete against each other, but he's still my brother at the end of the day."

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Geoff Magliocchetti
GEOFF MAGLIOCCHETTI

Editor-In-Chief at All Knicks

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