Knicks Star Shares Welcome to New York Moment

One New York Knicks star had an obvious choice for his first most famous metropolitan moment to date.

Dec 9, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) taunts the Toronto Raptors fans after making a three point basket to clinch a win near the end of the fourth quarter at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

New York Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns knew he was officially part of the city in December.

Towns spoke about his Knicks career to date in a special interview with Carmelo Anthony as part of the latter's "7PM in Brooklyn" web series. The basketball world is approaching the one-year anniversary of the trade that sent Towns from Minneapolis to Manhattan, but the former Minnesota Timberwolf believed his official christening as a New Yorker came across the northern border.

"My New York moment, I remember telling my pops about it, was Toronto," Towns recalled, referencing last December's thrilling visit to Ontario. "Hitting the game-winner and winging at the crowd, I said some explicit stuff to everyone ... I thought that was my moment ... that was my real, I'm here, welcome to New York moment type [stuff]."

Back on Dec. 9, Towns returned from a brief injury absence to face the divisional rival Raptors at Scotiabank Arena. The last additions of a 24-point, 15-rebound double-double were three points earned from deep in the dying seconds of the game, which proved to be just enough for the Knicks to escape back to the states with a 113-108 victory.

The win proved to be part of extended Christmas glee for the Knicks, as it tipped off a stretch of nine triumphs over the next 10 games that ran through New Year's Day. New York ended Towns' first year with 51 wins, its best regular season tally in over a decade.

After hitting the fateful trey, Towns and Toronto fans traded verbal barbs. Towns, a tri-state area native from New Jersey, also euphorically pointed to the "New York" branding on his blue Knicks jersey, which went on to become one of the most iconic metropolitan images of last season.

It was one of many memories created by Towns, who averaged 24.4 points and a career-best 12.8 rebounds in his first Manhattan tour. He also earned third-team All-NBA honors and started the NBA All-Star Game for the first time. The trade for Towns proved polarizing since it gave away New York fan favorites Donte DiVincenzo and Julius Randle but fans are likely satisfied with its early returns, which yielded the Knicks first Eastern Conference Finals showing since 2000.

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