Karl-Anthony Towns has been quite the revelation this season. The Minnesota Timberwolves’ big man has played his way into favorite status as Rookie of the Year. While his play has certainly been noticed by bigger fans of the game, most casual NBA fans have not met the Kentucky alum quite as extensively. The Rising Stars’ Challenge at All-Star Weekend was the perfect opportunity to announce himself on the national stage.
Towns showcased his abilities in the annual game between NBA rookies and sophomores, helping lead the US team to victory. The center scored 18 points on 8-15 shooting, grabbed seven boards, and dished out four assists as the US team beat the World team 157-154. He also showed his athletic ability as well as some insane and near unnatural skills.
It was an altogether impressive performance for Towns as he showed a national TV audience just how good he is. The rookie has been phenomenal, putting together an historic season for a player of his experience. On Friday, however, he was able to show what all the hype has been about, at least to a small extent.
Towns will be back on Saturday as one of the big-men being implemented in the annual Skills Challenge for the first time.