The New York Knicks are in the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999. It’s a big deal for several reasons, including celebrities and residents of NYC going absolutely crazy for their favorite team. But one of the reasons why we’re excited about the Knicks is the starting center, Karl-Anthony Towns.
Towns has been through a lot in the last several years. He lost his mom to COVID in 2020; he’s been labeled as being too soft, too emotional, and too “feminine”; and fans and former teammates have questioned whether he even cares about basketball. But he’s finally having his moment in the spotlight and showing everyone that being emotional isn’t a bad thing. In fact, it’s made us cheer harder for Towns and the Knicks.
Proving Doubters Wrong
Karl-Anthony Towns is proving everyone wrong. In the past, some former teammates (cough, Jimmy Butler, cough) said he wasn’t competitive enough or strong enough to play basketball. In October 2024, the Minnesota Timberwolves traded Towns and sent him to the Knicks. Now, Timberwolves fans are calling that the worst trade ever. He’s playing the best basketball of his entire life. Charles Barkley even apologized for some of his comments about Towns.
Now, whether Towns wins the MVP is yet to be determined. The Finals aren’t over, and Jalen Brunson has also put together a nice resume for why he should be the MVP, but the fact that Towns is even in the conversation shows that his doubters were wrong. He is tough enough to play basketball, to start for the Knicks, and he’s tough enough to be the NBA Finals MVP.
Why We’re Cheering for Towns
Towns has been very vocal about how much the loss of his mom has affected him. After Game 1 of the Finals, he said he felt calm and at peace and attributed that to his mom watching. After Game 2, when he was interviewed, he also talked about his mom:
Fans can relate to how much Towns loved his mom and how much he misses her. We like that he shows his emotions and doesn’t bottle them up. It makes him more human, and not just some guy who plays basketball.
He also shows how much he genuinely loves his family and his teammates. The first thing he does at games is find his dad and give him a hug (which is just the sweetest thing ever). He prays for his family, his teammates, and their families before every game. He even prays for his opponents and their families before every game because he’s genuinely a good person. Towns also goes above and beyond to show that he cares about all of his teammates. After Game 2 of the Finals, Brunson had a bad shooting night, and Towns told him that he was never alone. Towns’ teammates love and respect him for not only how well he’s been playing, but for how much he cares about them.
Toxic Masculinity is Out
Toxic masculinity is not what we want in our athletes. Fans want someone like Towns who has a big heart and loves his teammates (because who doesn’t love a good bromance?) Towns has shown that being emotional isn’t a negative thing, and it doesn’t mean you’re not tough. In fact, we’re sure that Towns is one of the toughest players in the league right now. We’re not sure that many other athletes could have gone through losing their mom and hearing all of the criticisms that he did and still turned out to be this nice, caring, and, not to mention, successful.
It’s 2026. Life is hard, and we could all learn from Karl-Anthony Towns. Let’s not be afraid to show our emotions and our love for each other.
