All-Star votes reveal major advantage for Karl-Anthony Towns in New York

Towns has received nearly 10 times as many fan votes than he did last season while starring in Minnesota.

Jan 1, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) reacts during the second half against the Utah Jazz at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Moving back to the center position and dominating with his skill set as a 7-foot offensive force isn't the only advantage Karl-Anthony Towns has playing in New York. The other major advantage is the spotlight put on major market teams.

Evidence of the spotlight enhancing Towns' brand was revealed Thursday in the first look at fan voting for the upcoming NBA All-Star Game. Towns is third among Eastern Conference frontcourt players with 1,099,066 votes. Only seven players, regardless of position, have received more votes than Towns.

In January 2024, almost a year ago to the day, the first fan voting results were revealed and Towns was 10th among Western Conference frontcourt players with 139,642 votes while starring for the Timberwolves.

In other words, Towns has received 87.3% more votes while playing for the Knicks than he got at the same point while playing for Minnesota. Coincidentally, the Knicks are 24-10 and the 2023-24 Timberwolves were 24-9 when the first fan vote count was released last January.

SGA is first in backcourt players in initial All-Star voting, and fourth overall in votes in the West.

JDub is 7th in frontcourt players. pic.twitter.com/8TH1OicV1l
— Royce Young (@royceyoung) January 2, 2025

There are more than 19 million people living in New York, including 8.3 million in New York City, compared to 5.7 million people in the entire state of Minnesota.

All of the population statistics and market size aside, Towns is very deserving of the votes while he averages 24.9 points and 13.7 rebounds per game for the Knicks.