History of Karl-Anthony Towns in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: July 19, 2026

Karl-Anthony Towns is a prominent professional basketball player in the NBA, widely recognized as one of the greatest shooting big men in the sport's history. Drafted first overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2015 after a standout collegiate career at the University of Kentucky, Towns quickly established himself as an elite offensive talent. Standing seven feet tall, he possesses a rare combination of post-scoring prowess and high-level three-point shooting ability. A multi-time NBA All-Star and All-NBA Team selection, he has consistently maintained high scoring and rebounding averages throughout his career. After spending nine seasons in Minnesota, he was traded to the New York Knicks in 2024. Beyond his statistics, Towns is known for his floor spacing, versatility, and pivotal role in modernizing the center position in the contemporary NBA era.

Sections (4)

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

1972: Buffalo Braves Rookie of the Year win

In 1972, Bob McAdoo of the Buffalo Braves won the NBA Rookie of the Year award, setting a historical precedent for back-to-back franchise winners.

1973: Buffalo Braves consecutive Rookie of the Year win

In 1973, Ernie DiGregorio of the Buffalo Braves won the NBA Rookie of the Year award, marking the second consecutive year a member of the franchise received the honor.

April 20, 1994: Historical Performance Comparison

On April 20, 1994, Shaquille O'Neal put up 50 points and 15 rebounds against the Timberwolves, serving as a historical benchmark for youth that Towns would later be compared to in 2018.

November 15, 1995: Birth of Karl-Anthony Towns Jr.

Karl-Anthony Towns Jr. was born on November 15, 1995, and would later become a prominent professional basketball player.

Others born on this day/year

2004: Previous Playoff Appearance

The year 2004 marked the last time the Minnesota Timberwolves had appeared in the NBA playoffs prior to their 2018 resurgence.

2008: Kevin Durant's record performance

In 2008, Kevin Durant became the last player prior to Towns to record at least 30 points and 10 rebounds in a single game at such a young age.

2009: Academic Transfer and Grade Reclassification

In 2009, Karl-Anthony Towns transferred from Our Lady of Fatima School to Theodore Schor Middle School, where he made the strategic decision to repeat the seventh grade to allow for an additional year of academic and athletic development.

2011: Dominican Republic National Team Debut

At the age of 16, Karl-Anthony Towns began playing for the Dominican Republic national basketball team in 2011 under coach John Calipari, helping the team secure a third-place finish at the FIBA Americas Championship.

December 2012: Reclassification and Commitment to Kentucky

In December 2012, Karl-Anthony Towns announced his decision to reclassify to the class of 2014, skipping his senior year of high school to commit to playing basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats under head coach John Calipari.

2012: State Championship and International Competition

In 2012, Karl-Anthony Towns led the St. Joseph High School basketball team to a state championship and achieved the number one ranking on the ESPN 25 list. Additionally, in 2012, he competed for the Dominican Republic national basketball team, finishing fourth at the FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

January 6, 2013: First Quadruple-Double Performance

On January 6, 2013, Karl-Anthony Towns achieved a rare quadruple-double in a game, recording 16 points, 17 rebounds, 11 blocks, and 11 assists.

2013: State Championship Title

Karl-Anthony Towns continued his dominance at the high school level by leading his team to another state basketball title in 2013.

January 5, 2014: Second Quadruple-Double Performance

On January 5, 2014, Karl-Anthony Towns recorded his second career quadruple-double, finishing the game with 20 points, 14 rebounds, 12 blocks, and 10 assists.

2014: High School Graduation and Gatorade Player of the Year

During 2014, Towns graduated from high school with a 3.96 GPA and was honored as the Gatorade Player of the Year, while also being ranked as the third-best prospect in his recruiting class by ESPN.

2014: Freshman Season at the University of Kentucky

During the 2014 season, Karl-Anthony Towns played for the University of Kentucky where he participated in a unique platoon system, averaging 10.3 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. During this time, he pursued studies in kinesiology and earned recognition as an All-American by several organizations while improving his NBA draft stock through strong performances in the NCAA Tournament.

2014: Andrew Wiggins Rookie of the Year award

During the 2014-15 season, Andrew Wiggins earned the NBA Rookie of the Year award while playing for the Minnesota Timberwolves.

2014: State Championship Title

In 2014, Karl-Anthony Towns secured his third consecutive state championship title with his high school team.

January 13, 2015: Previous Franchise Scoring Record

On January 13, 2015, Mo Williams established a franchise record of 52 points in a game against the Indiana Pacers, which stood until it was broken by Towns in 2018.

April 9, 2015: Declaration for the 2015 NBA Draft

On April 9, 2015, Karl-Anthony Towns and six of his University of Kentucky teammates officially declared their eligibility for the 2015 NBA draft.

June 25, 2015: Selected First Overall in 2015 NBA Draft

On June 25, 2015, Karl-Anthony Towns achieved a major career milestone when he was selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves as the first overall pick in the 2015 NBA draft.

2015: Karl-Anthony Towns 2015-16 rookie season

During the 2015-16 NBA season, Karl-Anthony Towns played in all 82 games for the Minnesota Timberwolves, averaging 18.3 points and 10.5 rebounds per game while setting several franchise records.

2015: ESPN Recruiting Ranking Context

In 2015, ESPN reflected on the recruiting cycle, noting that Towns had previously been considered the top prospect in this class before his reclassification changed his eligibility status.

2015: NBA Rookie of the Year Award

In 2015, Karl-Anthony Towns was honored as the NBA Rookie of the Year following his impressive performance during the 2015-16 season.

2015: 2015 NBA Draft 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 professional basketball career.

January 20, 2016: Season-best performance against Mavericks

On January 20, 2016, Karl-Anthony Towns achieved a season-best performance scoring 27 points along with career highs of 17 rebounds and six blocks during a 106–94 loss to the Dallas Mavericks.

November 30, 2016: Career-High Scoring Performance against New York Knicks

On November 30, 2016, Karl-Anthony Towns achieved a career-high 47 points and 18 rebounds in a narrow 106–104 loss against the New York Knicks, making him one of the youngest players in history to hit those statistical marks.

March 8, 2017: 100th Career Double-Double Milestone

During a March 8, 2017, victory over the Los Angeles Clippers, Karl-Anthony Towns recorded 29 points and 14 rebounds, reaching his 100th career double-double and becoming the second-youngest player in NBA history to achieve this feat.

April 11, 2017: Franchise Single-Season Scoring Record

On April 11, 2017, in a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Karl-Anthony Towns surpassed Kevin Love to set a new Minnesota Timberwolves franchise record for total points scored in a single season.

November 15, 2017: 22nd Birthday Performance and Streak Breaker

On his 22nd birthday on November 15, 2017, Karl-Anthony Towns led the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 98-86 victory over the San Antonio Spurs, ending a 12-game losing streak by contributing 26 points and 16 rebounds.

December 14, 2017: Statistical Milestone Against Sacramento

On December 14, 2017, Towns matched a rare performance record by recording 30 points, 14 rebounds, five assists, and five blocks against the Sacramento Kings, joining Kevin Garnett as the only other player in team history to achieve those marks in one game.

December 31, 2017: Career-High Blocks Performance

During a 107-90 win against the Indiana Pacers on December 31, 2017, Towns tallied 18 points, 14 rebounds, and matched his career-high of six blocks.

January 5, 2018: Career-High Rebounding Effort

In a 91-84 loss to the Boston Celtics on January 5, 2018, Towns registered 25 points and set a then-career-high of 23 rebounds.

January 23, 2018: Western Conference All-Star Selection

On January 23, 2018, Karl-Anthony Towns received recognition for his stellar play by being named a Western Conference All-Star reserve.

March 20, 2018: 60th Double-Double Milestone

On March 20, 2018, Towns secured his league-leading 60th double-double of the season, finishing with 30 points and 10 rebounds in a win over the Los Angeles Clippers.

March 28, 2018: Franchise Scoring Record

In a game against the Atlanta Hawks on March 28, 2018, Towns set a new Minnesota Timberwolves franchise record by scoring 56 points, while also adding 15 rebounds.

April 11, 2018: Playoff Spot Clincher

In the final regular season game on April 11, 2018, Towns helped the Timberwolves beat the Denver Nuggets to clinch their first playoff appearance since 2004.

2022: NBA Three-Point Contest Victory

In 2022, Karl-Anthony Towns made history by becoming the first center to ever win the NBA Three-Point Contest.

2024: Western Conference Finals Appearance and Trade to Knicks

In 2024, Towns led the Minnesota Timberwolves to their first Western Conference finals in two decades, and subsequently, he was traded to the New York Knicks ahead of the 2024-25 season.

2026: NBA Finals Championship Win

In 2026, Karl-Anthony Towns played a key role in leading the New York Knicks to an NBA Finals championship victory, ending the franchise's 53-year title drought.