Minnesota Timberwolves All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns recalled an essential moment with Kobe Bryant And LeBron James in high school that he says changed the trajectory of his life forever. As a member of the Dominican Republic national team in high school, he played against Bryant, James and Team USA in Las Vegas in preparation for the 2012 Olympics.
“I didn’t have that welcome moment with Kobe because I had already played against Kobe in high school when I played against The Dream Team V2,” Towns told The Rich Eisen Show. “It was him, Bron, Kevin Love, Tyson Chandler. I had played against them on the Dominican Republic national team in Vegas. So I had already had that moment, like, wow, I’m on the court with Kobe Bryant.”
Years before the Timberwolves, that moment motivated Towns to work hard as a high school freshman with what he saw as an advantage over the rest of his basketball recruiting class, given that he still had three years to make significant strides in his development as a potential NBA big man. So much so that by the time Karl-Anthony reached the NBA, his humble welcome to the league didn’t happen on the court but rather off it.
“I think when I came to the NBA, I wanted to make an impact on the league and show my worth, earn my place, earn my respect,” Towns said. “I was so focused on that that I didn’t really have that NBA welcome moment until later in the season, when I finally slowed down a little bit, and I was looking at my jersey at Target Center, and I was like, ‘Wow, that really says Wolves, 32 Towns.’ I finally understood that I was a real NBA player.”
Karl-Anthony Towns says watching Kobe Bryant in person changed his approach
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For Karl-Anthony Towns, seeing one of the NBA’s greatest players in person was surreal. Even as a teenager, Towns admits it forced him to work harder, do research and spend a lot of time at his local library.
“It was cool to see the art being made by the artist in person,” Towns said. “Being able to be on the ground, having to study what they’re doing, [and] “I’ve been waiting for my moment to figure it out, but it was a surreal moment to be able to be on the court with these legends. And to be able to be on the court with guys that I’ve spent hours and hours studying with and, most importantly, who have taken time out of my day and made the sacrifice of biking to the John F. Kennedy Library in Piscataway, New Jersey. Use the computer access there, rent the VHS tapes, pick up the book and just watch their moves and watch how they play basketball.”
It’s safe to say that the hours of hard work have finally paid off for the four-time All-Star, who just Timberwolves lose 4-1 to Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference finals and begins his ninth season in the NBA.
