Timberwolves’ Karl-Anthony Towns: Once in a generation
If you don’t know by now, Karl-Anthony Towns is the real deal, plain and simple.
His historic start to this 2015-16 season has not only wowed Timberwolves fans, but he has also shattered the expectations that were set for him before the season began.
After this historic first week of basketball from Towns, we’re now left with this possibility: Karl-Anthony Towns is not only the best prospect in this draft, but he may also be the best prospect of the last decade (ESPN Insider).
Now, my Towns hype train is full steam ahead, and I cannot foresee anything that would take this train off the rails. I’ll try to look at this with a sense of objectivity, but I truly do think that Towns could be a once in a generation prospect.
Sure, the sample size is ungodly small to make this assumption, but what we’ve seen in Towns’ 92 NBA minutes is unlike anything I (or anyone else, for that matter) have seen from a 19 year-old. And that has to count for something.
He’s currently averaging 17.7 points and 10.3 rebounds per game, but his per-36 minute numbers are a little higher: he’s averaging 20.3 points, 12.1 rebounds, and 3.1 blocks per game in the per-36 category. Foul trouble limited him a bit on Monday night against Portland, but he still managed an impressive performance.
Towns is shooting an efficient 58 percent from the field, and not all of his attempts are coming within the paint as he’s shown a great deal of versatility on offense to this point. Take a look at his shot chart.
That is a whole heck of a lot of green where most of his shots are being taken. As a center, that versatility is only possessed by one other big man, and that’s Anthony Davis.
The completeness of Towns’ game right now cannot be overstated. His offensive versatility is unmatched by any other prospect in this past year’s draft. Also he is the only teenager to ever start with back to back double-doubles to start his career. Take that Jahlil Okafor…
He was also put into elite company as he was just the third player ever to eclipse 40+ points and 20+ rebounds in his first two NBA games. The other two players being Dikembe Mutombo and David Robinson, both Hall of Famers, in case you forgot. And he is the Wolves top rebounder, already, and is well on his way to becoming a premier shot blocker.
The kid is just tough; he’s not playing like a rookie. By that I mean he’s not making several mistakes, turning the ball over, etc. He’s committed to getting the Wolves wins, and I think this was showcased in Monday night’s game versus Portland. This is probably the most notable sequence down the stretch from Towns.
Say what you will, but for a rookie center to take a three-pointer (his second such attempt in his young career) in crunch time takes some serious stones. Then to come back on the other end and make a huge defensive play…it’s just something rookie’s aren’t expected to do right away. Towns is doing this right away, just three games into his career! It’s extraordinary, really.
Yes, the Wolves lost the game, but it’s not because of Towns. The inability to stop Damian Lillard and some poor calls by the officials were the main reasons for the loss. Towns did what he had to and more to try and get the Wolves a win.
On the topic of Towns defensive abilities, he may already be one of the best shot-blockers in the league. Per Zach Harper, of players defending the rim at least nine attempts per game, only two are better than Towns. One is Rudy Gobert, who is the best rim-protector in the game, and the other being Al Horford. Again, keep in mind that he is 19 years old.
I’ll just leave this here if you need further proof of his rim protection abilities:
It should also be noted that Towns went to the floor and fought Mason Plumlee for a loose ball at the end of the Portland game. I think that’s a little Kevin Garnett coming out of him, and Towns realizes that the dirty work needs to be done as well.
This is just on example of Towns’ toughness and grit.
If you can’t handle the heat, get out of the kitchen, Plumlee.
Next: Some (Way Too Early) Timberwolves Takeaways
To close, Karl-Anthony Towns is the complete package. He’s offensively and defensively gifted, unlike any other prospect besides Anthony Davis. Besides that fact, Towns is also a fighter, not afraid to get scrappy, which is something the Wolves have longed for since KG left originally.
Towns is the future for Minnesota. I think it’s hard to deny the fact that he will be not only a top-five player in the league at some point, but a once-in-a-generation type of performer for the Timberwolves.