When Karl-Anthony Towns wrote his piece in the Players Tribune, he established a new way for athletes to be effective activists. Let’s explore the brilliance of that move.
Speaking out
As media day nears, Karl-Anthony Towns is sure to garner lots of attention. New teammates, new uniforms and new expectations should all highlight the bulk of the questions that Towns will be bombarded with. Social issues are sure to creep into the conversation as well and Towns has set himself up to knock these questions out of the park.
Athletes are often faced with the challenging balance of speaking their truth while not offending their fans. Half of the fans may look to follow their favorite athlete’s lead as it pertains to speaking out on social injustices. Half may prefer that athletes just show up and play the games. This can be a tricky road to navigate for young influential professionals.
Professionalism
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When Towns decided to write in the Players Tribune, he managed to walk that thin high-wire with both grace and elegance. The letter, which is thoughtful and well-written, was in response to demonstrations in Charlottesville and its corresponding responses by the country’s most powerful leaders. Regardless of your stance on the issue at hand, Towns reminded us all that the written word is still the perfect medium to express one’s thoughts.
By writing his views out longhand, he was able to fully iterate his beliefs and opinions. Writing out an extensive, well-planned response is quite contrary to how many athletes choose to respond to cultural events. Tweets and sound bites can often leave one’s message up to interpretation. In the letter, he points to his reasons and is able to fully explain why he feels how he does without being interrupted by character limits or a pushy interviewer.
Leverage with the media
Now that the letter is available to the public, Towns has major leverage when social questions inevitably arise. He can, of course, choose to answer these questions as they come. However, he also has the option to point to his written word and force the questions to remain basketball related. He doesn’t have to explain himself, because he already has. He won’t be forced to walk back comments because he has already thought them through before sharing them. By being responsive and not reactive, the former Kentucky Wildcat showed great maturity and character.
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Written responses that are heartfelt and not just politically correct jargon are refreshing in today’s sports society. You don’t have to agree with the message to appreciate the way that Towns approached his activism. He didn’t push his opinions on anyone and didn’t use work time as a platform for his message. Will he continue to express himself in the future using this medium? Will other athletes follow his lead? Time will tell.