Dear Karl, you’ve been nominated as Timberwolves Best Player

The team at Dunking With Wolves has made Karl-Anthony Towns the top vote-getter for Timberwolves Best Player as part of our preseason award predictions series.

Dear KAT,

Congratulations! The Dunking With Wolves staff has nominated you as Best Timberwolves Player for the upcoming season.

You have few limitations holding you back. Your offensive skills are among the best in the league, and you possess both the skills and intelligence capable of improving your defense — which will decide if your worthy of this admittedly premature award.

Sure, you are years away from taking the crown of Best NBA Player from King James. Yet, you’ve already surpassed him and other stars in certain offensive statistical categories. Let’s cherry-pick a few.

Field Goal Percentage: James .501 and KAT .542 

3-Point Percentage: James .341 and KAT .361 

Free Throw Percentage: James .740 and KAT .824

Anthony Davis is a better comparison based on position played and size. Davis overall statistical achievements are certainly above your own. When comparing to the following categories you rise above him:

Field Goal Percentage: Davis .513 and KAT .542

3-Point Percentage: Davis .290 and KAT .361

Free Throw Percentage: Davis .787 and KAT .824

Rudy Gobert, comparison again based on position played and size is appropriate. Again when compared to the following categories you best him in two of three — Gobert not shooting threes certainly helps here:

Field Goal Percentage:  Gobert .611 and KAT .542

Three-Point Percentage: Gobert .000 and KAT .361

Free Throw Percentage: Gobert .614 and KAT .824

All of three of these players are better defenders, which results in them being ranked above you in the numerous articles that rank the best players in the league. You’re younger than all three, however, and don’t have any reasons to not be an exceptional player, on both ends of the court.

Dennis Rodman is one of the greatest NBA defenders, wasn’t physically gifted (6’-9″), relatively speaking, and certainly had a…unique personality Yet, with all his limitations, “The Worm” is considered one of the greatest defensive players to ever play the game.

KAT, you’re more gifted than Rodman when comparing height, strength, speed, agility, and, perhaps, intelligence. (As recently reported by the Guardian Magazine, his diplomatic skills are respected by North Korea’s Kim Jong-Un, which should put to rest any doubts about his mental fortitude.)

You had a 4.0-grade point average at Kentucky and close to perfect in high school, and there is no reason to think that you’re “basketball I.Q.” isn’t on par.

Prior to beginning your NBA career, Luke Winn of Sports Illustrated reported, “By at least one metric, [Towns’] defensive contributions were greater than any other college player over the past five seasons” (emphasis from the original).

Like many, I preferred you over Jahlil Okafor in the 2015 NBA draft because you appeared to be the monster interior defender this team needed.

Last year, Timberwolves ranked top-10 in offensive production and ranked bottom-five for defense. Your improved defense will be necessary for the team to improve its ranking.

Dunking With Wolves contributor Andrew Neururer recently wrote about your ability to be the most improved player on the Timberwolves. As part of an article discussing your defensive deficiencies, Andrew outlined the following areas you needed improvement: 1) rim protection, 2) steals and 3) blocks.

You need to become “Big Poppa Defense” that opposing players fear to penetrate which will improve perimeter defenders ability to shut down their man. Perimeter defense will improve when they have confidence you’ll be there to protect the rim. Increasing your steals will be an important element to defending the pick and roll. Blocks are key to striking fear in opposing players.

DWW has the confidence your improved defense will arrive which resulted in you being nominated the Best Timberwolves Player.

We are rooting you’ll prove us right!

Next: 6 bold predictions for the 2017-18 Timberwolves

Sincerely,

Ken Bradley & the Dunking With Wolves Team