"He went from being one of the softer guys to one of the tougher guys" - Lou Williams believes Karl-Anthony Towns is rebranding himself like Kevin Garnett
Karl-Anthony Towns has always possessed the potential to be one of the NBA's best big men. However, his struggles to fully capitalize on being the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 Draft created a narrative that placed him miles away from the best modern-day centers.
Despite being overlooked, KAT's debut season with the New York Knicks has shown a different version, one which is helping define the team's identity and drawing surprising comparisons to Kevin Garnett from Lou Williams.
Towns in shining for a new franchise like Garnett
The parallel with KG is particularly interesting, given "The Big Ticket's" career arc. Despite spending 14 seasons of his two-decade-long NBA career with the Minnesota Timberwolves and being widely considered the greatest player to have represented the franchise, Kevin's legacy is better known for the six seasons he spent with the Boston Celtics.
In Boston, the 6'11" forward achieved more team success—leading them to three Eastern Conference Finals, two NBA Finals, and a championship in 2008. This was far greater than Garnett's entire tenure with the Timberwolves, during which he led them, at best, to a lone Western Conference Finals appearance.
Towns' journey bears some similarities. Despite acquiring early accolades such as the Rookie of the Year and an All-NBA selection in just his third campaign, his leadership led the Timberwolves to three playoff appearances in nine years. Eventually, Karl was replaced by Anthony Edwards as the franchise's top option.
The move to New York has showcased a transformed KAT. He's logging 34.6 minutes per game, which is higher than in his previous seven seasons. Karl is displaying a newfound willingness to push through fatigue for team success. Even statistically, the Dominican native has left his mark by averaging a league-leading 14.0 rebounds per game and leading the New York Knicks in scoring by averaging 25.3 points per night.
Towns is changing the narrative about himself
During an episode of the "Run It Back" show, Williams suggested that the "Big Bodega," like Garnett, might elevate himself into Hall of Fame status in a few years with his new team rather than the franchise that drafted him.
"I love the Karl-Anthony Towns rebrand out of New York," the three-time Sixth Man of the Year said. "He went from being 'one of the softer guys' to being 'one of the tougher guys' in this league. Sometimes, a market can do that to you. I'll give you an example, as much as we love Kevin Garnett in Minnesota, we still recognize him as a Boston Celtic."
While the four-time All-Star is closely focused on rewriting his narrative for all his critics, Towns surely won't be in the same conversation as Garnett unless he leads the Knicks to a much-desired championship. Hence, the potential is there, but the most challenging part of the journey still lies ahead.
