Former 6MOY predicts Karl-Anthony Towns fan reception in Minnesota return
Over the summer, Karl-Anthony Towns saw himself dealt to the New York Knicks in a shocking blockbuster trade. As he gets ready to return to Minnesota for the first time, one former player gave his thoughts on what his reception will be like.
Before being moved, KAT spent nearly a decade with the Minnesota Timberwolves after being drafted No. 1 overall in 2015. He blossomed into a pillar for the franchise, making multiple All-Star teams and helping them reach the conference finals last year. However, the front office decided to part ways with the star big man over the summer.
During Thursday's episode of Run It Back, Lou Williams touched on Karl-Anthony Towns getting ready to play in Minnesota. The former Sixth Man of the Year expects the fans to react positively to this return.
"He gets cheered," Williams said. "This wasn't a trade that he demanded. This wasn't something that he asked for. He went into the summer looking forward to running it back with this team, building on the successes that they had, and he got traded."
Since joining the Knicks, Towns is putting together one of the better seasons of his career. As for the Timberwolves, they have faced their fair share of struggles integrating their new pieces.
The Knicks and Timberwolves are slated to face off at 9:30 PM Eastern Time Thursday in a nationally televised matchup.
Karl-Anthony Towns makes social media post ahead of return to Minnesota
Having spent nearly a decade with the Timberwolves, Karl-Anthony Towns built strong roots in Minnesota. As he prepares to play there for the first time as an opponent, he made a heartfelt post on social media.
Towns posted a video on his X (formerly Twitter) account of the charity work he's done in Minnesota over the years. Despite being dealt in a move that shocked many, he still seems to have great appreciation for the city.
Overall, Karl-Anthony Towns' return should be a positive experience for everyone involved. As Lou Williams stated, the four-time All-Star did not demand to be traded. Even though the organization did decide to move on from him, they did do him the service of trading him somewhere where he could still compete for a championship. Because of these factors, it should be a happy affair overall.
Along with the crowd giving Towns a warm reception, the Timberwolves should do their part as well. There is sure to be some kind of video package put together to honor the work he put in during his time in Minnesota.