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Karl-Anthony Towns Reacts to Heartfelt Standing Ovation From Timberwolves Fans

KAT was back at Target Center on Tuesday night for the second time since the blockbuster trade.

Tom Dierberger

Towns scored 40 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in the Knicks’ 115–104 loss to the Timberwolves on Tuesday night.
Towns scored 40 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in the Knicks’ 115–104 loss to the Timberwolves on Tuesday night. / David Berding/Getty Images
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Fourteen months after the trade that sent him from the Timberwolves to Knicks, Karl-Anthony Towns still has a special place in his heart for fans in Minnesota. And those feelings are clearly reciprocated.

Returning to Target Center for the second time since the blockbuster trade in October 2024, Towns racked up 40 points and 13 rebounds in 35 minutes as the Knicks lost 115–104 to the Timberwolves. When the game was out of reach for New York, coach Mike Brown subbed out Towns with 34.9 seconds left, and he was met with a standing ovation as he walked to the bench.

After the game, Towns shared some words from the heart about the reception he received in Minneapolis.

“It’s always good to be appreciated,” Towns said. “There’s nothing more valuable in this league and in this job than to be respected. I left my heart and soul here in Minnesota. For the fans—even after two seasons away—to respect me the way they do, to think of me highly, and to appreciate what I left on the court, it means a lot. It really means a lot.”

He also addressed where he’s at with the trade earlier Tuesday during the Knicks’ morning shootaround.

"You could be at peace with [the trade], but it still stings when you're not walking in this locker room, coming to this amazing state, city, and realize you're not going to the training facility anymore ... and now you're in a hotel,” Towns said [via the Star Tribune’s Chris Hine]. “I think it hits different."

Through 14 months, the Towns trade has aged well on the floor for both the Timberwolves and the Knicks. With Towns starring alongside Jalen Brunson, New York made it to the Eastern Conference finals last season for the first time since 2000. Minnesota, which acquired Donte DiVincenzo and Julius Randle in the deal, advanced to the Western Conference finals in back-to-back years for the first time in franchise history.

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Tom Dierberger
TOM DIERBERGER

Tom Dierberger is a staff writer and editor on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He joined SI in November 2023 after stints at FOX Sports, Bally Sports and NBC Sports. Dierberger has a bachelor's in communication from St. John's University. In his spare time, he can be seen throwing out his arm while playing fetch with his dog, Walter B. Boy.

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