Knicks Coach Praises Karl-Anthony Towns' Growth

Karl-Anthony Towns has come a long way on his road to the New York Knicks.

Jeremy Brener | Nov 19, 2024

Nov 18, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) controls the ball against Washington Wizards forward Alexandre Sarr (20) during the second quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

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New York Knicks

Karl-Anthony Towns is getting another shot to impress Tom Thibodeau with the New York Knicks.

The big man was coached by Thibodeau earlier in his career while he was first establishing himself in the league with the Minnesota Timberwolves, but the coach says he is a very different player with the Knicks now that he has more experience under his belt.

“I had him when he was young," Thibodeau said h/t Posting and Toasting. "We’d do shooting drills and he wouldn’t miss any. Wasn’t quite as strong as he is now. Didn’t have the experience. Now he has that. He’s a student of the game. He keeps adding. He’s seeing the whole floor now. His passing has really evolved. He’s always been a team-first guy, but now he really sees things. He understands what the defense is trying to do. Initially, like most young guys, the vision was more narrow. Now he sees more than one guy. He sees everyone, and that goes a long way.”

When Towns came into the league, he was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft and had all of these expectations that he had to meet. But now, he plays with a sense of maturity, one that is needed to be a star player on a contender.

Towns got to experience the fruits of his labor in the last few years with the Wolves, and his efforts culminated in a Western Conference Finals trip — the franchise's first in 20 years. However, the Wolves were ready to move on thinking that he wouldn't be able to grow further.

Now with the Knicks, Towns has a chance to prove the Wolves wrong, and he'll do so with his old coach by his side once again.

Towns and the Knicks are back in action tomorrow against the Phoenix Suns.

Make sure you bookmark Knicks on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

Published Nov 19, 2024

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.