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. He previously played college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats. Towns was selected first overall in the 2015 NBA draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves. At the age of 16, he was named to the Dominican Republic national team.

Sections (4)

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

2011: FIBA Americas Championship

In 2011, Karl-Anthony Towns' team finished in 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.

2012: Towns debuts for the Dominican Republic national team

In 2012, Karl-Anthony Towns debuted for the Dominican Republic national team at the Centrobasket tournament at the age of 16.

2012: State Championship and Dominican Republic National Team Selection

In 2012, Karl-Anthony Towns led his high school basketball team to a state championship and was also selected to play on the Dominican Republic national basketball team due to his mother's heritage.

January 6, 2013: First Quadruple-Double

On January 6, 2013, Karl-Anthony Towns recorded a quadruple-double with 16 points, 17 rebounds, 11 blocks, and 11 assists, showcasing his all-around skills.

2013: State Title

In 2013, Karl-Anthony Towns led his team to another state title.

January 5, 2014: Second Quadruple-Double

On January 5, 2014, Karl-Anthony Towns achieved his second quadruple-double with 20 points, 14 rebounds, 12 blocks, and 10 assists, solidifying his reputation as a versatile player.

2014: State Title

In 2014, Karl-Anthony Towns led his team to another state title.

2014: Kentucky Freshman Year

In his freshman year in Kentucky in 2014, Karl-Anthony Towns averaged 10.3 points and 6.7 rebounds, showcasing potential despite limited minutes due to the team's "platoon system".

April 9, 2015: Declared for the NBA Draft

On April 9, 2015, Karl-Anthony Towns, along with several Kentucky teammates, declared for the 2015 NBA draft, marking the end of his college basketball career.

June 25, 2015: Drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves

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

2015: Timberwolves Debut

In 2015, Karl-Anthony Towns began his first season with the Timberwolves, earning Rookie of the Year and other honors.

2015: Rookie of the Year

In 2015, Karl-Anthony Towns was named the Rookie of the Year for the 2015-16 NBA season, marking a significant achievement early in his career.

2015: Drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves

In 2015, Karl-Anthony Towns was selected with the first overall pick in the NBA draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves.

January 20, 2016: Season-Best Game

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

November 30, 2016: Career-High 47 Points and 18 Rebounds

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 Against the Los Angeles Clippers

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

April 11, 2017: Franchise Record for Points in a Season

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

November 15, 2017: Victory over the San Antonio Spurs on 22nd Birthday

On November 15, 2017, Karl-Anthony Towns scored 26 points and grabbed 16 rebounds in a 98-86 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on his 22nd birthday.

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

On December 14, 2017, Karl-Anthony Towns recorded 30 points, 14 rebounds, five assists, and five blocks against the Sacramento Kings, joining Kevin Garnett as the only Wolves players with that stat line in a single game.

December 31, 2017: Win Against the Indiana Pacers

On December 31, 2017, Karl-Anthony Towns had 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 91–84 loss to the Boston Celtics.

January 23, 2018: Named Western Conference All-Star Reserve

On January 23, 2018, Karl-Anthony Towns was named a Western Conference All-Star reserve, marking a significant achievement in his career.

March 20, 2018: NBA-Best 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 against 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 against the Denver Nuggets, clinching Minnesota's first playoff berth since 2004.

September 23, 2018: Towns signs super-maximum extension with the Timberwolves

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

January 12, 2019: Towns records career-high 27 rebounds

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

October 23, 2019: Towns scores 36 points in season opener

On October 23, 2019, 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 in the first game of Minnesota's season.

January 9, 2022: Towns scores season-high 40 points

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: Towns signs contract extension

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

2022: NBA Three-Point Contest winner

In 2022, Karl-Anthony Towns became the first center to win the NBA Three-Point Contest, showcasing his versatility and shooting skills.

July 2023: Towns confirms presence at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup

In July 2023, Karl-Anthony Towns confirmed his presence at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup, where he averaged 24.4 points and 8 rebounds over five games.

November 18, 2023: Towns scores 29 points, makes game-winning layup

On November 18, 2023, Karl-Anthony Towns scored 29 points and made a game-winning lay-up in a 121–120 win over the New Orleans Pelicans.

January 22, 2024: Towns scores career-high 62 points

On January 22, 2024, Karl-Anthony Towns scored 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.

October 2, 2024: Towns 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: Traded to the Knicks

After nine seasons with the Timberwolves, in 2024 Karl-Anthony Towns was traded to the New York Knicks before the start of the 2024-25 NBA season and lead the team to the Western Conference finals, their first appearance in 20 years.

2024: Towns receives 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 advocating for voting rights and supporting Minnesota's legislation to restore voting rights to formerly incarcerated individuals. He also produced a short documentary, Forgiving Johnny, about the justice system.

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November 3, 2025: Towns reaches milestone

On November 3, 2025, Karl-Anthony Towns became the 6th player in NBA history to reach 15,000 points, 7,000 rebounds, and 2,000 assists before the age of 30.

December 16, 2025: Towns earns selection to All-Tournament Team

On December 16, 2025, Karl-Anthony Towns posted 16 points and 11 rebounds to help the Knicks secure a 124–113 victory over the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Cup Final, earning selection to the All-Tournament Team.