Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Karl-Anthony Towns

How Karl-Anthony Towns built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.

Karl-Anthony Towns Jr. (KAT) is a Dominican-American professional basketball player currently playing for the New York Knicks in the NBA. Before joining the NBA, he played college basketball at Kentucky. He was the first overall pick in the 2015 NBA draft, selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves. Towns also represented the Dominican Republic national team at a young age.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

2004: Timberwolves Last Playoff Appearance

In 2004, the Timberwolves had their previous playoff appearance, marking a significant drought before Towns helped them return.

2008: Youngest to 30 Points and 10 Rebounds

In 2008, Kevin Durant was the youngest player to have 30 points and 10 rebounds. On January 29, 2016, Towns replicated the feat.

2011: FIBA Americas Championship

In 2011, Karl-Anthony Towns played on the Dominican Republic national basketball team, which finished third at the FIBA Americas Championship.

December 2012: Commitment to Kentucky Wildcats

In December 2012, Karl-Anthony Towns announced his commitment to play for the Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team, reclassifying as a senior.

2012: State Championship and Olympic Qualifying Tournament

In 2012, Karl-Anthony Towns led his high school basketball team to a state championship and participated in the FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament for Men with the Dominican Republic national team, which fell short of qualifying for the 2012 Olympic Basketball Tournament.

2012: Debuted for Dominican Republic

Karl-Anthony Towns debuted for the Dominican Republic national team internationally at the 2012 Centrobasket, when he was age 16.

January 6, 2013: First Quadruple-Double

On January 6, 2013, Karl-Anthony Towns recorded his first quadruple-double with 16 points, 17 rebounds, 11 blocks, and 11 assists.

2013: State Championship

In 2013, Karl-Anthony Towns led his high school team to another state championship, marking continued success in his high school career.

January 5, 2014: Second Quadruple-Double

On January 5, 2014, Karl-Anthony Towns achieved his second quadruple-double, recording 20 points, 14 rebounds, 12 blocks, and 10 assists.

2014: State Championship

In 2014, Karl-Anthony Towns achieved another milestone by leading his high school team to yet another state championship.

2014: Kentucky Freshman Year

In 2014, Karl-Anthony Towns played his freshman year at Kentucky, averaging 10.3 points and 6.7 rebounds per game while studying kinesiology.

April 9, 2015: Declaration for the NBA Draft

On April 9, 2015, Karl-Anthony Towns, along with several Kentucky teammates, declared for the 2015 NBA draft, marking a significant step in his basketball career.

June 25, 2015: Drafted #1 Overall by Timberwolves

On June 25, 2015, Karl-Anthony Towns was selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves with the first overall pick in the 2015 NBA draft, a pivotal moment in his career.

2015: Towns' Timberwolves Season

In 2015, Karl-Anthony Towns played all 82 games for the Timberwolves, averaging 18.3 points and 10.5 rebounds, earning unanimous NBA Rookie of the Year honors and other accolades.

2015: NBA Draft and Timberwolves Selection

In 2015, Karl-Anthony Towns was selected as the first overall pick in the NBA draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves, marking a significant milestone in his career.

January 20, 2016: Season-Best Game Against Mavericks

On January 20, 2016, Karl-Anthony Towns had a season-best game with 27 points, 17 rebounds, and six blocks in a loss to the Dallas Mavericks.

November 30, 2016: Career-High 47 Points

On November 30, 2016, Karl-Anthony Towns recorded a then career-high 47 points and 18 rebounds in a loss to the New York Knicks.

March 8, 2017: Win Over the Clippers

On March 8, 2017, Karl-Anthony Towns scored 29 points and had 14 rebounds in a 107–91 win over the Los Angeles Clippers.

April 11, 2017: Loss to Thunder

On April 11, 2017, Karl-Anthony Towns had 26 points and 12 rebounds in a 100–98 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, surpassing Kevin Love for a franchise record.

November 15, 2017: Birthday Game Victory

On November 15, 2017, Karl-Anthony Towns had 26 points and 16 rebounds on his 22nd birthday, helping the Timberwolves end a 12-game losing streak to the San Antonio Spurs.

December 14, 2017: 30 Points, 14 Rebounds, 5 Assists and 5 Blocks

On December 14, 2017, Karl-Anthony Towns posted 30 points, 14 rebounds, five assists and five blocks against the Sacramento Kings, matching a feat previously achieved only by Kevin Garnett among Wolves players.

December 31, 2017: Win Over the Pacers

On December 31, 2017, Karl-Anthony Towns recorded 18 points, 14 rebounds and a career high-tying six blocks in a 107–90 win over the Indiana Pacers.

January 5, 2018: Career-High 23 Rebounds

On January 5, 2018, Karl-Anthony Towns recorded 25 points and a then career-high 23 rebounds in a loss to the Boston Celtics.

January 23, 2018: All-Star Selection

On January 23, 2018, Karl-Anthony Towns was named a Western Conference All-Star reserve.

March 20, 2018: 60th Double-Double

On March 20, 2018, Karl-Anthony Towns recorded his NBA-best 60th double-double with 30 points and 10 rebounds in a win over the Los Angeles Clippers.

March 28, 2018: Franchise-Record 56 Points

On March 28, 2018, Karl-Anthony Towns scored a franchise-record 56 points and added 15 rebounds in a win over the Atlanta Hawks.

April 11, 2018: Playoff Berth

On April 11, 2018, Karl-Anthony Towns had 26 points and 14 rebounds in an overtime win over the Denver Nuggets, clinching Minnesota a spot in the playoffs for the first time since 2004.

September 23, 2018: Signed super-maximum extension with Timberwolves

On September 23, 2018, Karl-Anthony Towns signed a five-year, $158 million super-maximum extension with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

January 12, 2019: Career-high 27 rebounds

On January 12, 2019, Karl-Anthony Towns recorded 27 points and a career-high 27 rebounds in a 110–106 win over the New Orleans Pelicans.

October 23, 2019: Strong Performance in Season Opener

On October 23, 2019, in the first game of Minnesota's season, Karl-Anthony Towns scored 36 points, grabbed 14 rebounds, blocked 3 shots, and recorded 3 steals in a 127–126 win over the Brooklyn Nets.

December 27, 2020: Joined NBA Hall-of-Famers in accumulation of points, rebounds and assists

On December 27, 2020, Karl-Anthony Towns joined Hall-of-Famers Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Tim Duncan, Elgin Baylor and David Robinson as the only players in NBA history to accumulate over 8,000 points, 4,000 rebounds and 1,000 assists in 360 games or less.

January 9, 2022: Season-high 40 points against Rockets

On January 9, 2022, Karl-Anthony Towns scored a then season-high 40 points, along with nine rebounds and seven assists, in a 141–123 victory over the Houston Rockets.

July 7, 2022: Signed contract extension

On July 7, 2022, Karl-Anthony Towns signed a four-year, $224 million contract extension.

2022: Timberwolves traded for Gobert

In 2022, Jim Souhan of the Star Tribune speculated that Karl-Anthony Towns' lack of rim protection spurred the Timberwolves to trade for 4x DPOY Gobert.

2022: NBA Three-Point Contest Win

In 2022, Karl-Anthony Towns became the first center to win the NBA Three-Point Contest, adding a unique achievement to his career.

July 2023: Played for Dominican Republic National Team

In July 2023 Karl-Anthony Towns confirmed his presence at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup representing the Dominican Republic national team. He averaged 24.4 points, fifth-most in the tournament, as well as 8 rebounds over five games.

November 18, 2023: Game-Winning Lay-up

On November 18, 2023, Karl-Anthony Towns put up 29 points, along with six rebounds, nine assists, two blocks, and a game-winning lay-up in a 121–120 win over the New Orleans Pelicans.

January 22, 2024: Career-High 62 Points

On January 22, 2024, Karl-Anthony Towns put up a career-high and Timberwolves franchise-record 62 points, with 44 of those coming in the first half, in a 128–125 loss to the Charlotte Hornets. His 44 points set a record for the most points scored in a half in Timberwolves franchise history.

October 2, 2024: Traded to the New York Knicks

On October 2, 2024, Karl-Anthony Towns was traded to the New York Knicks as part of a three-team trade with the Charlotte Hornets.

2024: Led Timberwolves to Western Conference Finals

In 2024, Karl-Anthony Towns led the Timberwolves to the Western Conference Finals, marking their first appearance in 20 years and a significant achievement for the team and his career.

2024: Ranked 7th in NBA

In 2024, Karl-Anthony Towns ranked 7th in the NBA with 1.21 points per direct drive during the 2024-25 season.

2024: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion Award

In 2024, Karl-Anthony Towns received the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion Award from the NBA for his social justice work, particularly his work advocating for voting rights and his role as the producer for the short documentary about the justice system, Forgiving Johnny.

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