EXCLUSIVE: Karl-Anthony Towns Reflects on Year One With Knicks

Karl-Anthony Towns is embarking on a new crusade with the New York Knicks.

Towns is one of the undeniable headliners of the Knicks' upcoming postseason endeavors, which tip off this weekend against the Detroit Pistons at Madison Square Garden. In the calm before the storm, Towns reflected on his metropolitan hardwood journey's first chapter while promoting "Assassin's Creed Shadows," the latest installment of Ubisoft's long-running action-adventure video game franchise.

"Having grown up in New Jersey and being a Knicks fan, I was excited to be back on the East Coast wearing a Knicks jersey and playing in front of my family and friends. Playing nightly at the Garden, the Mecca of basketball, has been a longtime dream," Towns said. "The Garden is legendary. Our fans are passionate, vocal and know their basketball and their Knicks history. They are the best fans in the world!"

Apr 8, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) reacts during the first half against the Boston Celtics at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images | John Jones-Imagn Images

Towns has certainly done what he could to return the favor to his new adoring public: the former Minnesota Timberwolf earned his first starting nod at the NBA All-Star Game and put up 24.8 points with a career-best 12.8 rebounds in his first 72 showings as a professional New Yorker.

It's thus a happy homecoming for Towns, an Edison, NJ native that came to New York in a late offseason trade that sacrificed Donte DiVincenzo and Julius Randle. Now the real fun of the postseason begins and Towns is looking forward to seeing how the already "exhilarating" aura of MSG magnifies when the number of competing teams starts to shrink.

Towns has a special fondness for his nickname "Bodega KAT," a moniker that he believes pays proper tribute to the Dominican heritage he routinely professes. Such pride stems from his late mother Jacqueline Cruz, who likewise supported the Knicks in Towns' youth. Family further reigns in the form of his father Karl Sr., a mainstay in MSG's premier seating.

"Bodega KAT is a nice nod to my Dominican roots and to the city I love ... Giving back to the community and making a difference is important to me and I am grateful to be able to do that in NYC and the tri-state area." Towns said when asked how New York endeared itself as a long-term home. "I am honored to play for the team my mother loved; she was a huge Knicks fan and my father’s past relationship with the team is a full-circle moment for me. I am proud to be a New York Knick."

Before embarking on on his next hardwood crusade, Towns has taken in the Crusades: he has been a fan of the Assassin's Creed franchise "since the beginning" and took particularly interest in "Shadows," which takes place during Japan's Sengoku period. Towns resonated with the setting, having visited Japan with longtime girlfriend Jordyn Woods over this past offseason in a trip he "holds close to his heart."

"The storytelling and visuals have kept me coming back to Assassin’s Creed for years. The worldbuilding and character arcs always draw me in, and the realistic scenery makes me really feel like I’m there in the game," Towns said. "Playing Shadows takes me back to that experience of being immersed in Japan’s scenery and culture."

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