Karl-Anthony Towns

Dominican American center, six-time NBA All-Star, and first center to win the Three-Point Contest.

Karl-Anthony Towns Jr. (born November 15, 1995), also known by his initials KAT, is a Dominican American professional basketball player for the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was named to the Dominican Republic national team as a 16-year-old and played college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats. He was selected with the first overall pick in the 2015 NBA draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Quick Facts

Position: Center; power forward
League: NBA
Team: New York Knicks
Born: 15 November 1995
Birthplace: Edison, New Jersey, U.S.
High school: St. Joseph (Metuchen, New Jersey)
College: Kentucky (2014–2015)
Draft pick: 1

Lore & Background

Towns was named the Rookie of the Year for the 2015–16 season. He is second on the Timberwolves' all-time scoring list. He led the team to the Western Conference finals in 2024, their first appearance in 20 years. After spending nine seasons with the Timberwolves, Towns was traded to the Knicks before the 2024–25 season. He was instrumental in helping the Knicks win the 2026 NBA Finals, their first championship win in 53 years. He is a six-time NBA All-Star, a three-time All-NBA Team member, and became the first center to win the NBA Three-Point Contest in 2022.

Reader's Guide

Towns was born in Edison, New Jersey to an African-American father, Karl Towns Sr., and a Dominican mother, Jacqueline Cruz. He grew up in Piscataway, New Jersey, and attended Lake Nelson Seventh-Day Adventist School, before transferring to Theodore Schor Middle School from Our Lady of Fatima School in 2009. At Theodore Schor, he reclassified and repeated seventh grade in order to gain an extra year of development. As a freshman at St. Joseph High School, Towns led the basketball team to a state championship in 2012, earning himself the top position in the ESPN 25 national ranking of high school players. He also led his team to state titles in 2013 and 2014. Towns was selected at the age of 16 to play on the Dominican Republic national basketball team. He graduated from high school with a 3.96 GPA on a 4.5 scale. He was named the 2014 Gatorade Player of the Year. In his freshman year at Kentucky, he studied kinesiology. He was named a second-team All-American by the Associated Press and NABC, and a third-team All-American by The Sporting News. On June 25, 2015, Towns was selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves with the first overall pick in the 2015 NBA draft. He played and started in all 82 games for the Timberwolves in 2015–16, averaging 18.3 points and 10.5 rebounds per game; he subsequently earned unanimous NBA Rookie of the Year honors.

Did You Know?

Towns recorded a quadruple-double in high school on January 6, 2013, with 16 points, 17 rebounds, 11 blocks and 11 assists.
He recorded a second quadruple-double on January 5, 2014, with 20 points, 14 rebounds, 12 blocks and 10 assists.
Towns won the 2016 NBA All-Star Weekend Skills Challenge, becoming the tallest, heaviest, and youngest winner of the event.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Karl-Anthony Towns?

Born in New Jersey, this Dominican American athlete became a franchise icon after being chosen as the top selection in the 2015 NBA draft following his time at Kentucky.

What role did Karl-Anthony Towns play on the team?

Towns served as a versatile offensive force capable of scoring from deep while also dominating the boards. He set franchise records early, including becoming the youngest player since Kevin Durant to record 30 points and 10 rebounds in a game.

How did Karl-Anthony Towns's tenure with Minnesota end?

After nine years, his time concluded following a historic playoff run where he guided the franchise to its first Western Conference finals appearance in two decades. This achievement marked the peak of his contribution before departing the organization.

What were Karl-Anthony Towns's draft details?

Towns entered the league as the number one selection in the 2015 NBA draft following his collegiate career at Kentucky. This high profile entry immediately positioned him as the cornerstone for rebuilding the Timberwolves roster.