Karl-Anthony Towns honored with 2nd All-NBA third-team selection

The face of the Timberwolves franchise

Karl-Anthony Towns has proven that he can still be the franchise player this team needs. To prove that point, he had averaged 21.8 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in 6 games in the 2022 playoffs. Now, with a second All-NBA team honor, he is eligible for an NBA SuperMax contract.

The Big KAT is well equipped to handle the pressure of carrying a young team like the Minnesota Timberwolves. Eight years in and BIG KAT has been crowned as the best shooting BIG in the league, even as he continues to improve his game year after year.

He is just the third player in franchise history to be named to numerous All-NBA teams. He now shares that distinction with Kevin Garnett (who was named to an All-NBA team eight times in his career) and Kevin Love (who was also named to an All-NBA team twice).

The challenge for the Timberwolves is building around such a talented big. In years past, the key was to get an elite center, and then put a very good power forward and point guard onto the court.  That would give the team three very good players. Small forwards and shooting guards were simply expected to make their shots, as most of the work was handled by the elite bigs around the basket.

Now? NBA teams have expanded the offensive area, giving rise to the 3-and-D type players who can be every bit as vital to the basketball team as the center. The Golden State Warriors continue to prove that, as the ‘Splash Brothers’ have in many ways redefined NBA Championship basketball. Can the Minnesota Timberwolves swing that pendulum back the other way? Can KAT help to return the game to banging the boards? Will the Timberwolves find players to help Towns in that quest? Well if they do, they’ll need everything that Karl Anthony Towns can give them.