Minnesota Timberwolves: Karl-Anthony Towns’ mom diagnosed with coronavirus

Minnesota Timberwolves superstar Karl-Anthony Towns announced on Instagram that his mother is currently in a medically-induced coma.

The coronavirus pandemic is continuing to spread, and the NBA community is certainly not immune to its impacts.

Minnesota Timberwolves superstar Karl-Anthony Towns posted a video on Instagram late Tuesday evening announcing that his mother, is hospitalized, on a ventilator and is in a medically-induced coma. The Wolves confirmed that she tested positive for coronavirus.

Towns notes in the video that his dad has been released from the hospital and is in self-quarantine.

Obviously, this is an unimaginably difficult time for Towns and his family. That’s the first thing that comes across here, and rightfully so.

Kudos to Towns for focusing on the “stay at home” message to his followers on social media. The handful of NBA players who themselves have been diagnosed with coronavirus have largely done a great job messaging not just their own journeys but also encouraging their audience, and young people especially, to heed the warnings of the government and health officials when it comes to this illness.

Towns had previously donated $100,000 to the Mayo Clinic to assist in accelerating their coronavirus testing, which reportedly took their capacity from 200 to 1,000 tests per day.

As expected, plenty of media members, players, and others expressed their reaction to the news and are doing their best to support Towns.

A few players sent their thoughts out to Towns, including Utah’s Donovan Mitchell, who tested positive for the disease himself less than two weeks ago.

Members of the media weighed in as well.

Krawczynski notes in his article at The Athletic (subscription required) that Towns’ family is in New Jersey, which is adjacent to where one of the worst breakouts in the nation is in the New York City area. He also touches on some of the specifics Towns mentions in the video, including his mother’s worsening symptoms and his urging for her to go to the hospital.

One quote that stands out from Towns’ Instagram post both warns others to take the warnings regarding coronavirus seriously, as well as shows his family’s commitment to fighting his mom’s illness.

"“This disease is deadly. It’s deadly,” he said. “We’re going to keep fighting on my side. Me and my family are going to keep fighting this. We’re going to beat it. We’re going to win."

Obviously, our thoughts and prayers are with Towns and his entire family during this extremely difficult time.