Karl-Anthony Towns has been one of the biggest reasons the Knicks are two wins away from an NBA championship.
As it turns out, plenty of people in Minnesota are enjoying the ride, too.
According to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic, many Timberwolves fans have been cheering for Towns throughout New York’s playoff run, happy to see the former franchise cornerstone finally receiving widespread praise after years of criticism.
Towns spent nine seasons with the Timberwolves before being traded to the Knicks. While his game often came under scrutiny during his time in Minnesota, many fans developed a deep appreciation for him away from the court.
One Wolves fan told Krawczynski that Towns donated $5,000 to a family GoFundMe during a battle with pancreatic cancer and helped provide support after the loss of the fan’s mother.
“So happy for him,” the fan said.
The support comes as Towns arguably has been the most impactful player through the first two games of the NBA Finals.
In addition to providing scoring and playmaking, Towns has delivered disciplined defense against Spurs star Victor Wembanyama while helping the Knicks build a 2-0 series lead.
Towns said his growth has come from learning how to adapt to whatever a game requires.
“Whatever it takes to win, especially when you’re in the NBA Finals, I’m willing to do,” he said.
Whether serving as a scorer, facilitator, screener or decoy, Towns has embraced every role.
And now, after years of ups and downs, he’s receiving admiration from both his current fan base and his former one.
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