KAT’s offseason comments were alarming, but not for the reasons you think

Is this thing on?

What a player says does not always translate to what a player meant to say when taken out of context. And for a player who has carried the Minnesota Timberwolves on his back at times, there is bound to be a bit of pride in accomplishments that may seem less grandiose when held up to the light in public.

Which is exactly what happened in this case. Minnesota Timberwolves power forward Karl-Anthony Towns and former teammate Patrick Beverley were discussing how special the NBA Championship run for the Denver Nuggets was for the team and the city.

Paw in mouth disease

But in an attempt to shine a spotlight on a significant chapter for the Minnesota Timberwolves, Towns comes off as petty and, well, a bit delusional . . .

So why comment on something that would be controversial?

Well, it starts with the fact that it was one Minnesota Timberwolves former player chatting with an active Timberwolves player. Tall tales of reminiscing often take the form of larger-than-life in their recollection and retelling. It was not meant to be informative information. Rather, it was two former NBA teammates who were reminiscing about their own glory days, a collaboration that did not last long enough.

It was never intended to set the record straight. With smartphones that film selected images, podcasts that can be dissected into viral sound bites, and so many persons who have become famous for being offended by the words of others, NBA players imperil themselves in each and every interview. Towns delivered sound bites that far too many extracted and ran with, feigning offense from an NBA player who was more than happy to share some pride in the performance that he and a former teammate produced together.