Karl-Anthony Towns: 'It would be an honor' to play for Timberwolves
NEW YORK – Wearing a yellow top hat, short-sleeve black shirt, slacks and fancy blue designer shoes, Karl-Anthony Towns looked relaxed and ready for a stroll on Broadway on this warm summer day. But even though Towns wasn't showing it, the projected top pick in Thursday night's NBA draft was starting to feel anxious.
"I have no promises yet. I just don't have anything. Wish I did," Towns told Yahoo Sports on Wednesday. "I would have a lot of stress taken off my back. The biggest stress is this is the draft. This isn't college no more. You can't get traded in college.
"All these trade rumors happening. Smoke screens are very heavy right now and the air is really foggy."
The Minnesota Timberwolves, who own the No. 1 pick, don't plan on making their decision official until they notify the league during the draft, a source told Yahoo Sports. While the T'wolves are keeping their decision close to vest, another source said that Minnesota president and coach Flip Saunders adores Towns and it would be stunning if he wasn't the top pick.
"If I'm picked by the Minnesota Timberwolves it would be an honor and a privilege," said Towns, who averaged 10.3 points and 6.7 rebounds in 21.1 minutes per game for Kentucky.
Towns would fill a void at power forward for the T'wolves, who are building a talented, young core that includes 2015 NBA Rookie of the Year Andrew Wiggins, Ricky Rubio, Zach LaVine, Shabazz Muhammad and Gorgui Dieng. Minnesota's 26-year history has included two upper-echelon power forwards in Kevin Garnett and Kevin Love.
Towns, 19, would love the challenge of being the next great T'wolves power forward. Garnett, 39, is under contract next season, but it's uncertain if he will continue playing.
"The craziest thing about those two power forwards, I think you can see some resemblance of me in both of them," Towns said. "They've shown how effective they were in Minnesota. I'm trying to make my own stamp."
The Piscataway, N.J., native called the NBA draft being in Brooklyn like a "home-cooked meal." As for Minneapolis, the 6-foot-11, 250-pounder liked what he saw in his recent visit.
"I love traveling. I love seeing new spots," he said. "It was a pretty. Minneapolis was a really cool city. Very cosmopolitian. You just don't know how a spot is until you've actually been there. Just like you don't know if something is good until you try it."
A year ago, Towns was a McDonald's All-American excited about going to Kentucky. Now, his NBA dream is coming true as the expected top pick.
"In the moment, everything feels much longer with all the work you put in," Towns said. "Looking back at all the work I put in, the time just flew by, especially at Kentucky. I'm blessed to have the opportunity to do all this."
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