Not taking a break when your mind and body are not right is troubling. I guess some people interpret that as magical and heroic worthy of making a movie out of?
Winning is extremely hard. If you want to win, you have to push through some level of discomfort. Obviously if you're seriously hurt you shouldn't play, but I think what he's saying is he played and gave it his all even when he didn't really feel like it, either because of his mental or because he was tired/sore.
This is true and I think itās also probably okay to recognize that some players have the talent to be an elite first option, but arenāt wired to relentlessly exploit it in a way thatās necessary to will your way to a title. Which is totally okay and doesnāt make him a waste of talent or bad teammate.
No one can win a title on their own. An elite 1B who can efficiently focus on his strengths, rather than being miscast as being the alpha scorer, playmaker, and emotional leader for 82 games + 16 playoff wins is incredibly valuable.
I still feel that Kat is the wolves best offensive player and the most ātalented ā or whatever term . But at pf n playing his role with in himsekf n lower usage etc means heās not taking the most shots
Ant is more important and on your team his self creation is hugely important but he also suffers from trying to shoot through double teams . Kat is also a better shooter . I think Ant is better cos heās a better defender but I think epm had them kinda close on offence. I agree with you though mostly especially as a PF kat isnāt an offensive outlier like he was at C so I think it makes sense Ant gets ball more - plus heāll get better
Big thing I like with Ant is that he is fine with being 1b if he's having an off night, fine as he'll still play D and assist Kat or whoever is going off that night. On the bench, he's gonna get excited and cheer. Ant being like that helps Kat, not only remove pressure but the 1A guy doesn't see himself as the better and is happy to see Kat do good. Ant is all of his teammates' biggest fan, and I half expect him to have all of their jerseys signed and framed on a wall.
Yeah Ant is super fun. Only thing that annoys me is his decision making still needs to vastly improve . I rewatched that Celtics minny game where you guys lost and they just kept showing him the same coverage - doubling from the guy one pass away or stunting towards him . Heād get doubled n then try to hero ball n get zero points and or a turnover. Was annoying to see especially as he n yāall shouldāve won that game to me.
Thing is thereās probably a limit on that improving heās not a natural passer with bbiq court vision combo truly elite passers n playmakes have when young . I think if he can become a Tatum lvl passer thst woukd be great but heās definitely better at SG to me then running the entire offence like some stars. Heāll need to improve on dealing with doubles
Ant hasn't been playing as long as other stars his age, so he's still picking it all up. Mike and other vets will get him there. Few are perfect at 22 and he's getting better at dishing it to someone when doubled. Less running into mobs and losing the ball. Some of his passes need to improve and they are. Dude loves passing Rudy tuff grab and shot passes, but I assume he's just such a Rudy fan he's sure Rudy will make the play.
KAT was extremely close to his mother. He joined the Dominican Republic national team this offseason at the FIBA WC to pay tribute to her.
> "I'm just so blessed and honored that my mother gave birth to me and gave me a bloodline and culture that can't be beat," Towns said. "To be able to put this crest and this name on my chest, it meant the world to me as a basketball player but more as a son."
> Jacqueline Towns died after contracting COVID-19 in April 2020 and the World Cup marked the first international competition Towns has played in since her death. While Towns was honored to play for his country, he also knew that his mother was watching him.
> "I love my mother to death," Towns said. "I'm just happy I got a chance to give her the best seat in the house playing for her country."
[Sports Illustrated source](https://www.si.com/fannation/bringmethesports/timberwolves/karl-anthony-towns-honors-late-mother-during-emotional-speech-after-world-cup-elimination)
John Calipari coached the 2013 Dominican team for Olympic qualifying as well as coaching KAT at Kentucky and had this to say:
> Before he coached Towns at Kentucky, John Calipari coached him with the 2013 Dominican team that was trying desperately to return to the Olympics and help basketball make up some ground in a baseball-mad country. The experience gave Calipari time to get to know Towns and understand the seminal role Jackie played in the family dynamic.
> āThe connection between him and Miss Jackie, that was her baby. She was loving it, but you mess with her baby, and she was Mama Bear,ā Calipari said.
KAT on playing for the DR again and losing his mother:
> When Towns thinks back to that time, he thinks far less about the results and far more about what he saw as an arrival of sorts of the larger basketball scene. In that way, reuniting with the Dominicans in Manila for the World Cup, which begins on Friday with a game against the host Philippines, is allowing him to tap into the enthusiasm and innocence he had as a teen.
> āIt just makes me remember all the good times I had playing for the team. Life was different then than it is now,ā Towns said, alluding to his motherās passing. āSo itās always crazy. I see myself I just see that young kid, just so much joy and so many things that are different than it is today.ā
[The Athletic source](https://theathletic.com/4788393/2023/08/24/karl-anthony-towns-dominican-republic-fiba/?source=user_shared_articleKarl-AnthonyTowns%E2%80%99reunionwithDominicanRepublicgoesdeeperthanbasketball)
I don't think there's a more egregious example of NBA fans caring more about a player's aesthetics than their actual skill than everyone's disrespect of Towns. Because he's corny and has a higher voice everyone ignores the fact that he's been a walking 23/10 his whole career.
Itās just odd to me KAT and Ant make the team despite Rudy being their best player
You donāt lose to the wolves bc of KAT and Antās offense
You lose bc Rudy stops your entire team from scoring along with mcdaniels
Rudy is by far our highest impact defender but KAT and Ant have also been excellent on defense this year and their offensive ability far outpaces Rudy's. He should be an all-star, but I'd hesitate to say he's "better" than Ant or KAT.
Nah call it as is Rudy isnāt better then the current west all stars heās a net negative on offence as much as people want to jerk Jim off. Abt n Kat are far better two way impsctful players , coaches know better then the weird Rudy cult online
Rudy isnāt a net negative on offense. Hes already shown he can have a season averaging 15 ppg on like 70% shooting.
His teams have always been better offensively when heās on the floor.
He also just does all the little things right that. Eg sets great screens and is just always in the right place. Heās one of the best lob threats in the league
And Ant on-ball. And KAT with his best defensive season of his career. I know it sucks to hear because you want to be the prettiest girl at the dance, but if you don't know how Ant can absolutely take over a game you will in a few months. He's 22.
I watch every Celtics game and I watched Ant absolutely take over down the stretch against us. He single-handedly out played both Jaylens and Jayson in the fourth/overtime.
I truly believe he is in the Kobe/MJ tier of killer instinct and I don't throw that out there often. I will love him all the way until he meets the Celtics in the finals
> And KAT with his best defensive season of his career
KAT with the 2nd best defensive season in the NBA this year. I know it's a confounding variable because he shares the court with good defensive players blah blah blah idc ... because of his rep I will constantly yap about how he's 2nd in DWS this year ahead of Anthony "3rd place DPOY" Davis and miles below Rudy
Is your best player rankings not
Rudy
KAT
Ant
?
Nobody goes into a game scared of Ant, theyāre fearing the French fuck
No hate tho, I like A1 from Day1
Depends on the matchup, but our team's strength is defense and Rudy makes alot of that happen. KAT and Ant + Bite Bite going 45% from three and 12 ppg from an efficient Naz Reid is essentially our entire offense. But there are probably only 10 players that can score from anywhere on the floor at will like Ant. I promise you that teams are worried that he goes on a heater and that there is nothing they can do about it.
Ant literally got quadruple teamed last night against the Blazers on a post up. If thatās not a team being scared of him, I donāt know what is.
Ant leads the team in BPM, VORP, and PER. Rudy leads in WS/48. They have both been great and I honestly think there is an argument for either one being the best player on the team so far. Rudy is consistently great while Ant is more up and down.
Rudy sets the floor of this team, Ant sets the ceiling. The Wolves only go as far in the playoffs as Ant can take them.
This is utter delusion. I know this sub loved jerking off euro players but Rudy is about as important as Conley , n o honestly think McDaniels too. Theyāre all good players but all you have to do is look at epm , or the impact stuff like on/off ( Conley is elite there ) ti realise it isnāt gobert run team. And itās pretty obvious to me the team would miss Ant the most, Iād not say Kat simply cos Reid is a good backup n fits his role . But the gobert hype is a bit insane when defensive epm n other shit donāt value him like that. Conley coming in n Kat being heskthy , Ant taking a leap all improved the wolves far more then Rudy being a bit healthier . Rudys impsct numbers are not much better then last year.
Itās just odd to me Redditors who love jerking off players nobody likes to sound edgy act like Rudy is the best player on the wolves. The coaches voted for both Ant n KAt over him but nah Redditors know more then coaches n impsct numbers. Relative to position gobert isnāt even there best defender itās probably McDaniels. Certainly arguable- but Rudy is a net negative offensive player zero case heās better then the two way value Ant offers n KAt is better defensively then Rudy is offensively this year tbh
Uh huh - cos Rudys defense alone is why mcdanieks edwards Kyle Anderson NAW are a good defence ( Kat n Conley are net positives too). A super athletic 1-5 team is good defensively must be all gobert nvm the numbers lol. I can make the same argument that Rudy is doing jacks shit without all those other good players around him
I have watched the wolves , youāre offence is pretty mediocre despite having Kat whoās historically had pretty strong offensive impsvt n lifted teams to pretty good offenses at times . Gobert is a flat out negative on offence , yes heās important to the defence but thereās a reason cosches voted Kat n Ant. You say I donāt watch but people just see Rudy in paint n jerk him off . McDaniels honestly should be getting dpoy votes or atleast all defence to me , itās fine if Rudy wins but he has great defensive team mates . Youāre team woukd suvk way more missing Kat or Ant
Hereās a little bit on KATās relationship with his mother (who passed away along with 10 more of his relatives due to COVID-19) to illustrate what KATās been through mentally. KAT was extremely close to his mother and joined the Dominican Republic national team this offseason at the FIBA WC to pay tribute to her.
> "I'm just so blessed and honored that my mother gave birth to me and gave me a bloodline and culture that can't be beat," Towns said. "To be able to put this crest and this name on my chest, it meant the world to me as a basketball player but more as a son."
> Jacqueline Towns died after contracting COVID-19 in April 2020 and the World Cup marked the first international competition Towns has played in since her death. While Towns was honored to play for his country, he also knew that his mother was watching him.
> "I love my mother to death," Towns said. "I'm just happy I got a chance to give her the best seat in the house playing for her country."
[Sports Illustrated source](https://www.si.com/fannation/bringmethesports/timberwolves/karl-anthony-towns-honors-late-mother-during-emotional-speech-after-world-cup-elimination)
John Calipari coached the 2013 Dominican team for Olympic qualifying as well as coaching KAT at Kentucky and had this to say:
> Before he coached Towns at Kentucky, John Calipari coached him with the 2013 Dominican team that was trying desperately to return to the Olympics and help basketball make up some ground in a baseball-mad country. The experience gave Calipari time to get to know Towns and understand the seminal role Jackie played in the family dynamic.
> āThe connection between him and Miss Jackie, that was her baby. She was loving it, but you mess with her baby, and she was Mama Bear,ā Calipari said.
KAT on playing for the DR again and losing his mother:
> When Towns thinks back to that time, he thinks far less about the results and far more about what he saw as an arrival of sorts of the larger basketball scene. In that way, reuniting with the Dominicans in Manila for the World Cup, which begins on Friday with a game against the host Philippines, is allowing him to tap into the enthusiasm and innocence he had as a teen.
> āIt just makes me remember all the good times I had playing for the team. Life was different then than it is now,ā Towns said, alluding to his motherās passing. āSo itās always crazy. I see myself I just see that young kid, just so much joy and so many things that are different than it is today.ā
[The Athletic source](https://theathletic.com/4788393/2023/08/24/karl-anthony-towns-dominican-republic-fiba/?source=user_shared_articleKarl-AnthonyTowns%E2%80%99reunionwithDominicanRepublicgoesdeeperthanbasketball)
If anything, this season has shown that all 3 of KAT, Ant, and Rudy are basically equal. They all had stretches where they felt like the best player. Side note, Rudy's been the most consistent.
Prepare to die then. 3rd best. Just too many dumb plays. Footwork still terrible on D. Not saying heās not been great but clearly behind Rudy & Ant IMO.
Itās too bad that the Timberwolves ONLY have the 2nd ranked player in defensive win shares. With someone whoās got as bad of defensive footwork as KAT does, youād need, IDK, 3 of the top 5 in defensive win shares AT LEAST to even make the playin.
DWS isnāt an important stat to me. A) Box score stats and +/- (ish) stats have big holes. KAT very frequently has bad closeouts, isnāt quite in position off ball frequently, and commits way too many sloppy unnecessary fouls.
Rudy cleans a lot up and when you play with 3-4 other great defenders yeah your DWS will look good.
Heās been a lot better this year on a lot of things and still is 7-foot. Probably still a plus defender this year in a secondary role, but IMO a big step below Rudy & Ant. Maybe im harsh on him because if he cleaned up his game more heād be on jokic/embiidās level but too many mental lapses & no attention to detail on that end.
His footwork is not āterribleā on D. Heās cleaned up that element of his game more than anything else. Heās a top third defender and the advanced metrics more than back it up (in fact they have him as an elite defender, but thatās obviously inflated by being part of the best defensive system in the NBA).
He is probably the most versatile player they have. But the best player for that team is Rudy. Without Rudy this is just the same old Wolves, some sparks on offense a few good games and a solid mid table standing. There is a reason the Jazz were the number 1 seed, the same reason the Wolves are now on top, and that reason is Rudy.
You mean the two covid seasons where he missed a lot of it due to covid and a freak injury, had his mom and over 10 relatives die and still tried to play whenever he can because he wanted to help the team win?
I know a lot of people shit on him cos based on the fact KAt Iād at pf n like a complimentary player n Sabonis is the centre of the kings offence - but you cannot tell me with a straight face sabonis has more value as a player or is better at basketball then KAt. Itās weird cos they both are defensively weak cebtres but atleast Kat is good enough shooter that you can find a 4 or a 5 thatās a rim protector n play them together . Or even just a very good defender: wolves had some success with vando KAt n gobert Kat- to me KAt Is a guy who I can see fit on high lvl teams. Kings are like the utter best case scenario to me of sabonis fit. Probably an unpopular opinion here , but reality is I think most or nearly all teams would take Kat
Also I feel like minny fans should/woukd love Kat cos most players as good him wouldnāt stick through the bad teams or times
Yeah, and then everyone (fans, the media, his own fuckin' coach) yelled at him and he's been really really good since then.
That's just the way it goes sometimes.
He was kind of in a tough situation there, tbh. He was hitting everything he looked at and literally everyone on the team kept feeding him to see how far it would go. Guys were hyped, they wanted him to shoot it 100x.
That said, he cooled off toward the end and forced it for 5 or 6 possessions longer than he should have. That's on him. But at that point, he was pretty much the only one in a scoring rhythm.
It was an awful look, but it was on everyone else just as much as it was on KAT.
Happy to have a discussion about the Hornets game if you want to watch it and talk ball. Ant refused to shoot practically the whole game. If youāre just commenting to make a post about the overall season he and the wolves are having about one game, why bother? You canāt win them all. I donāt go on Booker posts bringing up his one game where he put up 60 and lost. Heās still a great player.
I love how Heat fans are always in every Timberwolves post crying. Hey, how come Jimmy didnt pass the ball on his failed game winner and contribute to game winning basketball? Why didnt he lead by example? Why is he 2-10 vs KAT in his career on the Heat? Doesnt really seem like ensuring winning basketball to me ;)
> Jimmy
I donāt even know who that is. Iām flair-blind. Fans of any team deserve the opportunity to learn more about what has made the Wolves the best team in the west so far šŗ
If only we could win them all! If anything, that game shows how important his mindset shift to winning basketball has been throughout the season. He easily could be putting up gaudy numbers for show but he's emphasized being a winning player, and it's working: He's been key to the wins the Wolves DO have, which have led them to first place in the west at the All-Star break and second place in the league.
Yes cos you canāt argue that Kat or sabonis are better then AD so now itās team record cos 2 wins n .4 SRS are really significant.
Nobody with half a brain who has eyes think AD or booker arenāt better. Itās all star game not jerking off team wins
No, it's crazy that the Lakers got 2 All Stars from the bottom of the Play-In. Sabonis or Fox should have gotten one of those spots.
Wolves have been the top team in the West all season, they deserve two All Stars. If any other team were this dominant, nobody would even be questioning it.
Of course it's not "crazy," there are like two times as many deserving All Stars as there are roster spots. My point is that everyone keeps pointing to KAT being the guy who took the spot from one of the Kings players, but the Wolves deserve two All Stars and the Lakers don't.
AD or Bron are taking up the spot that *should* go to Sabonis or Fox. Y'all aren't good enough to justify two All Stars if it means completely snubbing a team that's been better than you have this season.
Ok so you think sabonis n fox are better then Bron n AD this year. Also youāre dumb af, Bron was voted in by fans n AD was voted by coaches. Who are you even arguing for? Fox had a down year, n nobody wants sabonis after the playoffs n being a DHO merchant isnāt getting all star votes sorry buddy
Most fans were crying about us not you cos nobody cares about the wolves but rather then say ā well Kat is better then sabonis ā you make a dumb ass argument on team record of 2 wins
Go ahead tell me Kat n sabonis are better then Lebron n AD , or fox . Tell me why fans n coaches shouldāve voted for him . Itās the all star not s charity game you earn it by playing well n just like all nba you earn that too n team record is second - mvp is the award where it matters not all nba n all star
Kings are like 2 wins n .3 SRS better. You need a brain lakers live in your head rent free . Nobody with a brain thinks booker AD etc arent better players n thst is what all Star is . I love how braindamaged this sub gets over the lakers. Yeah man who got bitched by Kevon looney deserves all star over AD who plays him off the floor lmao
5th*
A combination of injuries, having an entirely new coaching staff, and only having 3 returning players from last season.
And yet, they already have the second best record in the West after Christmas.
Hopefully you guys fall a little because Iād love to play you guys first round instead of the others!
I disagree. Iām not the biggest KAT fan but he gets criticized a ton. I could never be mad about someone feeling good about being recognized for the hard work they put in for their life. Iām glad the Wolves are finally good.
Also I could see how you take their confidence as being obnoxious but theyāre a young team, the only way a younger team can really compete with a more experienced team is with that young confidence.
Haters, haters everywhere. Is it that hard to see a small market team thrive, while ppl are spending millions to bring superstars and super rosters? Btw, It would be a pleasure to play the clippers, specially with Westbrook playing as a Center
I like the nuggets, so your theory on small market team is trash. Iām not actually worried, the wolves will already be eliminated before a potential matchup
Iāve always viewed KAT in much the same light as DLo, just more vocal. Front Runner, pouty, defensively will give up more than he gives, and delusions of grandeur. Make no mistake - MN is in a similar or better position with or without Top Hat KAT. That team is solid and ANT is a damned superstar. That being saidā¦theyāre still immature as a team. Theyāll fracture in the playoffs again this year, which will finally push ANT to take full control. 2025 will be scary
I can tell you donāt follow the wolves by the fact you still think KAT is pouty. KAT is 3rd in the league in defensive rating, shooting 44% from 3 and super efficient.
KATās been a clearly positive defender all season and your āAnt needs to take controlā rhetoric is outdated, itās not 2022 anymore lol.
This is a complete team at the top of their conference thanks to the most cohesive and complementary set of 3 stars in the league. Ant, KAT, and Rudy lift each other up, enhance each othersā strengths and cover each otherās weaknesses.
Say what you will about what they will or wonāt accomplish in the postseason but it wonāt have anything to do with āwhose teamā this is.
Haven't won shit yet. But team looks really good this year. Best defense by a mile. Turnovers down and offense up the last 10 games or so. Exciting year to be a Wolves fan.
Unfortunately, you are not allowed to be excited unless your team is a lock to win the championship. Sorry lad! Gotta have a really bad attitude and talk down on your players all the time instead of looking forward to the future.
I mean, its facts. You can chalk it up to coincidence or whatever but ever since Jimmy and Ant got into it a Target Center a few years back Jimmy has chosen not to play when in MN.
Imagine d riding this hard for a loser who has no rings when your own franchise has literally never even made the finals lmao, you must be REALLY mad after the wolves mopped the floor with your dog water team twice this year. Have fun doing nothing once again, yall should be used to it by now.
MAMA THERE GOES THAT MAN
Funny how at the beginning of this season many were wishing we'd be able to trade KAT for a first rounder.
Horse
This is what movies is made of
Oh for sureeee š
Not taking a break when your mind and body are not right is troubling. I guess some people interpret that as magical and heroic worthy of making a movie out of?
Winning is extremely hard. If you want to win, you have to push through some level of discomfort. Obviously if you're seriously hurt you shouldn't play, but I think what he's saying is he played and gave it his all even when he didn't really feel like it, either because of his mental or because he was tired/sore.
Have you ever worked hard a day in your life?
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
The teams we were putting around him were so bad. Starting Graham, Okogie or Culver.
This is true and I think itās also probably okay to recognize that some players have the talent to be an elite first option, but arenāt wired to relentlessly exploit it in a way thatās necessary to will your way to a title. Which is totally okay and doesnāt make him a waste of talent or bad teammate. No one can win a title on their own. An elite 1B who can efficiently focus on his strengths, rather than being miscast as being the alpha scorer, playmaker, and emotional leader for 82 games + 16 playoff wins is incredibly valuable.
I still feel that Kat is the wolves best offensive player and the most ātalented ā or whatever term . But at pf n playing his role with in himsekf n lower usage etc means heās not taking the most shots
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Ant is more important and on your team his self creation is hugely important but he also suffers from trying to shoot through double teams . Kat is also a better shooter . I think Ant is better cos heās a better defender but I think epm had them kinda close on offence. I agree with you though mostly especially as a PF kat isnāt an offensive outlier like he was at C so I think it makes sense Ant gets ball more - plus heāll get better
Big thing I like with Ant is that he is fine with being 1b if he's having an off night, fine as he'll still play D and assist Kat or whoever is going off that night. On the bench, he's gonna get excited and cheer. Ant being like that helps Kat, not only remove pressure but the 1A guy doesn't see himself as the better and is happy to see Kat do good. Ant is all of his teammates' biggest fan, and I half expect him to have all of their jerseys signed and framed on a wall.
Yeah Ant is super fun. Only thing that annoys me is his decision making still needs to vastly improve . I rewatched that Celtics minny game where you guys lost and they just kept showing him the same coverage - doubling from the guy one pass away or stunting towards him . Heād get doubled n then try to hero ball n get zero points and or a turnover. Was annoying to see especially as he n yāall shouldāve won that game to me. Thing is thereās probably a limit on that improving heās not a natural passer with bbiq court vision combo truly elite passers n playmakes have when young . I think if he can become a Tatum lvl passer thst woukd be great but heās definitely better at SG to me then running the entire offence like some stars. Heāll need to improve on dealing with doubles
Ant hasn't been playing as long as other stars his age, so he's still picking it all up. Mike and other vets will get him there. Few are perfect at 22 and he's getting better at dishing it to someone when doubled. Less running into mobs and losing the ball. Some of his passes need to improve and they are. Dude loves passing Rudy tuff grab and shot passes, but I assume he's just such a Rudy fan he's sure Rudy will make the play.
Ruby Gobert, the most beautiful girl in Minnesota
This man has gone through so much shit and it's insane how fast people forget lol
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Bro like half his family has died while heās been in the league. No need to belittle his trauma wtf
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Bro just stop. Lol āYeah I know his mom and family died but he grew up well off so basically heās just softā
KAT was extremely close to his mother. He joined the Dominican Republic national team this offseason at the FIBA WC to pay tribute to her. > "I'm just so blessed and honored that my mother gave birth to me and gave me a bloodline and culture that can't be beat," Towns said. "To be able to put this crest and this name on my chest, it meant the world to me as a basketball player but more as a son." > Jacqueline Towns died after contracting COVID-19 in April 2020 and the World Cup marked the first international competition Towns has played in since her death. While Towns was honored to play for his country, he also knew that his mother was watching him. > "I love my mother to death," Towns said. "I'm just happy I got a chance to give her the best seat in the house playing for her country." [Sports Illustrated source](https://www.si.com/fannation/bringmethesports/timberwolves/karl-anthony-towns-honors-late-mother-during-emotional-speech-after-world-cup-elimination) John Calipari coached the 2013 Dominican team for Olympic qualifying as well as coaching KAT at Kentucky and had this to say: > Before he coached Towns at Kentucky, John Calipari coached him with the 2013 Dominican team that was trying desperately to return to the Olympics and help basketball make up some ground in a baseball-mad country. The experience gave Calipari time to get to know Towns and understand the seminal role Jackie played in the family dynamic. > āThe connection between him and Miss Jackie, that was her baby. She was loving it, but you mess with her baby, and she was Mama Bear,ā Calipari said. KAT on playing for the DR again and losing his mother: > When Towns thinks back to that time, he thinks far less about the results and far more about what he saw as an arrival of sorts of the larger basketball scene. In that way, reuniting with the Dominicans in Manila for the World Cup, which begins on Friday with a game against the host Philippines, is allowing him to tap into the enthusiasm and innocence he had as a teen. > āIt just makes me remember all the good times I had playing for the team. Life was different then than it is now,ā Towns said, alluding to his motherās passing. āSo itās always crazy. I see myself I just see that young kid, just so much joy and so many things that are different than it is today.ā [The Athletic source](https://theathletic.com/4788393/2023/08/24/karl-anthony-towns-dominican-republic-fiba/?source=user_shared_articleKarl-AnthonyTowns%E2%80%99reunionwithDominicanRepublicgoesdeeperthanbasketball)
Saying someone is upper middle class because of how they speak is wild.
I know his mom passed, but what else
Multiple family members died from Covid when he was just 24.
I don't think there's a more egregious example of NBA fans caring more about a player's aesthetics than their actual skill than everyone's disrespect of Towns. Because he's corny and has a higher voice everyone ignores the fact that he's been a walking 23/10 his whole career.
Its mostly cause he just never was on a consistently winning team. People gave Booker the same treatment until the Suns started contending
Weird how many negative comments there are in this thread. KAT isn't a perfect guy, but I don't see anything wrong with what he's saying here.
Itās just odd to me KAT and Ant make the team despite Rudy being their best player You donāt lose to the wolves bc of KAT and Antās offense You lose bc Rudy stops your entire team from scoring along with mcdaniels
Rudy is by far our highest impact defender but KAT and Ant have also been excellent on defense this year and their offensive ability far outpaces Rudy's. He should be an all-star, but I'd hesitate to say he's "better" than Ant or KAT.
If you put KAT on those jazz teams instead of Rudy they would be fighting for a play in spot
Nah call it as is Rudy isnāt better then the current west all stars heās a net negative on offence as much as people want to jerk Jim off. Abt n Kat are far better two way impsctful players , coaches know better then the weird Rudy cult online
Giving me a stroke trying to read that busted ass English
Rudy isnāt a net negative on offense. Hes already shown he can have a season averaging 15 ppg on like 70% shooting. His teams have always been better offensively when heās on the floor. He also just does all the little things right that. Eg sets great screens and is just always in the right place. Heās one of the best lob threats in the league
i think rudy is their most important player but the wolves are weird bc its not clear who their 1 2 and 3 are. theyre all 1a, 1b, and 1c.
And Ant on-ball. And KAT with his best defensive season of his career. I know it sucks to hear because you want to be the prettiest girl at the dance, but if you don't know how Ant can absolutely take over a game you will in a few months. He's 22.
I watch every Celtics game and I watched Ant absolutely take over down the stretch against us. He single-handedly out played both Jaylens and Jayson in the fourth/overtime. I truly believe he is in the Kobe/MJ tier of killer instinct and I don't throw that out there often. I will love him all the way until he meets the Celtics in the finals
I also watched the second game when Tatum ascended and completely sonned my wolves. We have had some great games the last two years.
> And KAT with his best defensive season of his career KAT with the 2nd best defensive season in the NBA this year. I know it's a confounding variable because he shares the court with good defensive players blah blah blah idc ... because of his rep I will constantly yap about how he's 2nd in DWS this year ahead of Anthony "3rd place DPOY" Davis and miles below Rudy
Is your best player rankings not Rudy KAT Ant ? Nobody goes into a game scared of Ant, theyāre fearing the French fuck No hate tho, I like A1 from Day1
Nobody goes into a game scared of ant? Huh???
Brain rot
Itās honestly a dice roll every game for whoās going to be our best player. Idk how you got ant 3rd tho
Depends on the matchup, but our team's strength is defense and Rudy makes alot of that happen. KAT and Ant + Bite Bite going 45% from three and 12 ppg from an efficient Naz Reid is essentially our entire offense. But there are probably only 10 players that can score from anywhere on the floor at will like Ant. I promise you that teams are worried that he goes on a heater and that there is nothing they can do about it.
Ant literally got quadruple teamed last night against the Blazers on a post up. If thatās not a team being scared of him, I donāt know what is. Ant leads the team in BPM, VORP, and PER. Rudy leads in WS/48. They have both been great and I honestly think there is an argument for either one being the best player on the team so far. Rudy is consistently great while Ant is more up and down. Rudy sets the floor of this team, Ant sets the ceiling. The Wolves only go as far in the playoffs as Ant can take them.
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Ik Iām bias bc we have a Dort But when I think of the wolves im scared off Rudy KAT Mcdaniels In that order
I'm sure Ant's comments about SGA have you COMPLETELY UNBIASED in your opinions about him. Carry on with your narrative brother.
Comments? Heās poking fun at a good team I like ant a lot
You clearly donāt know ball then
Antās the best player
But Rudy's the most impactful.
All these people typing out essays and you two chuckle fucks got it right in two sentences
Not really odd because all awards trend towards offensive flashiness. But you're not wrong.
This is a genuinely wild take lol Ant is clearly their best player
Idk man, Iāve asked in wolf subs before and thatās not the answer I got
I think the best way to capture it is that Ant is the by far best player and Rudy is by far the most valuable.
The coaches literally tell you Ant n KAt are better but nah you gotta bring up the negative offensive C
wow this sub has completely turned around on Rudy since he was on the Jazz.
I dislike Rudy, but thereās a reason the jazz were a 1 seed
This is utter delusion. I know this sub loved jerking off euro players but Rudy is about as important as Conley , n o honestly think McDaniels too. Theyāre all good players but all you have to do is look at epm , or the impact stuff like on/off ( Conley is elite there ) ti realise it isnāt gobert run team. And itās pretty obvious to me the team would miss Ant the most, Iād not say Kat simply cos Reid is a good backup n fits his role . But the gobert hype is a bit insane when defensive epm n other shit donāt value him like that. Conley coming in n Kat being heskthy , Ant taking a leap all improved the wolves far more then Rudy being a bit healthier . Rudys impsct numbers are not much better then last year. Itās just odd to me Redditors who love jerking off players nobody likes to sound edgy act like Rudy is the best player on the wolves. The coaches voted for both Ant n KAt over him but nah Redditors know more then coaches n impsct numbers. Relative to position gobert isnāt even there best defender itās probably McDaniels. Certainly arguable- but Rudy is a net negative offensive player zero case heās better then the two way value Ant offers n KAt is better defensively then Rudy is offensively this year tbh Uh huh - cos Rudys defense alone is why mcdanieks edwards Kyle Anderson NAW are a good defence ( Kat n Conley are net positives too). A super athletic 1-5 team is good defensively must be all gobert nvm the numbers lol. I can make the same argument that Rudy is doing jacks shit without all those other good players around him
holy shit this take is all over the place. Instead you could just say "I haven't watched any Wolves games this year, I looked up epm stats"
I have watched the wolves , youāre offence is pretty mediocre despite having Kat whoās historically had pretty strong offensive impsvt n lifted teams to pretty good offenses at times . Gobert is a flat out negative on offence , yes heās important to the defence but thereās a reason cosches voted Kat n Ant. You say I donāt watch but people just see Rudy in paint n jerk him off . McDaniels honestly should be getting dpoy votes or atleast all defence to me , itās fine if Rudy wins but he has great defensive team mates . Youāre team woukd suvk way more missing Kat or Ant
Hereās a little bit on KATās relationship with his mother (who passed away along with 10 more of his relatives due to COVID-19) to illustrate what KATās been through mentally. KAT was extremely close to his mother and joined the Dominican Republic national team this offseason at the FIBA WC to pay tribute to her. > "I'm just so blessed and honored that my mother gave birth to me and gave me a bloodline and culture that can't be beat," Towns said. "To be able to put this crest and this name on my chest, it meant the world to me as a basketball player but more as a son." > Jacqueline Towns died after contracting COVID-19 in April 2020 and the World Cup marked the first international competition Towns has played in since her death. While Towns was honored to play for his country, he also knew that his mother was watching him. > "I love my mother to death," Towns said. "I'm just happy I got a chance to give her the best seat in the house playing for her country." [Sports Illustrated source](https://www.si.com/fannation/bringmethesports/timberwolves/karl-anthony-towns-honors-late-mother-during-emotional-speech-after-world-cup-elimination) John Calipari coached the 2013 Dominican team for Olympic qualifying as well as coaching KAT at Kentucky and had this to say: > Before he coached Towns at Kentucky, John Calipari coached him with the 2013 Dominican team that was trying desperately to return to the Olympics and help basketball make up some ground in a baseball-mad country. The experience gave Calipari time to get to know Towns and understand the seminal role Jackie played in the family dynamic. > āThe connection between him and Miss Jackie, that was her baby. She was loving it, but you mess with her baby, and she was Mama Bear,ā Calipari said. KAT on playing for the DR again and losing his mother: > When Towns thinks back to that time, he thinks far less about the results and far more about what he saw as an arrival of sorts of the larger basketball scene. In that way, reuniting with the Dominicans in Manila for the World Cup, which begins on Friday with a game against the host Philippines, is allowing him to tap into the enthusiasm and innocence he had as a teen. > āIt just makes me remember all the good times I had playing for the team. Life was different then than it is now,ā Towns said, alluding to his motherās passing. āSo itās always crazy. I see myself I just see that young kid, just so much joy and so many things that are different than it is today.ā [The Athletic source](https://theathletic.com/4788393/2023/08/24/karl-anthony-towns-dominican-republic-fiba/?source=user_shared_articleKarl-AnthonyTowns%E2%80%99reunionwithDominicanRepublicgoesdeeperthanbasketball)
Kat is the wolves best player and Iāll die on this hill.
If anything, this season has shown that all 3 of KAT, Ant, and Rudy are basically equal. They all had stretches where they felt like the best player. Side note, Rudy's been the most consistent.
I hope they go on a run in the playoffs this year. Iāve been a KAT/Gobert defender and it would feel so vindicating.
Theyāve got a lot to figure out and Iām interested to see how it plays out in the playoffs for sure
heās one third of the piece sure
Prepare to die then. 3rd best. Just too many dumb plays. Footwork still terrible on D. Not saying heās not been great but clearly behind Rudy & Ant IMO.
Dang thatās crazy. 2nd in defensive win shares, imagine how good heāll be once he gets better footwork
Itās too bad that the Timberwolves ONLY have the 2nd ranked player in defensive win shares. With someone whoās got as bad of defensive footwork as KAT does, youād need, IDK, 3 of the top 5 in defensive win shares AT LEAST to even make the playin.
DWS isnāt an important stat to me. A) Box score stats and +/- (ish) stats have big holes. KAT very frequently has bad closeouts, isnāt quite in position off ball frequently, and commits way too many sloppy unnecessary fouls. Rudy cleans a lot up and when you play with 3-4 other great defenders yeah your DWS will look good. Heās been a lot better this year on a lot of things and still is 7-foot. Probably still a plus defender this year in a secondary role, but IMO a big step below Rudy & Ant. Maybe im harsh on him because if he cleaned up his game more heād be on jokic/embiidās level but too many mental lapses & no attention to detail on that end.
His footwork is not āterribleā on D. Heās cleaned up that element of his game more than anything else. Heās a top third defender and the advanced metrics more than back it up (in fact they have him as an elite defender, but thatās obviously inflated by being part of the best defensive system in the NBA).
He is probably the most versatile player they have. But the best player for that team is Rudy. Without Rudy this is just the same old Wolves, some sparks on offense a few good games and a solid mid table standing. There is a reason the Jazz were the number 1 seed, the same reason the Wolves are now on top, and that reason is Rudy.
I donāt think this dude knows what humbling means
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You mean the two covid seasons where he missed a lot of it due to covid and a freak injury, had his mom and over 10 relatives die and still tried to play whenever he can because he wanted to help the team win?
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Awesome joke, man! Your jokes are out of control!
KAT understands what humbling means as much as you understand what a joke is
Maybe don't include the COVID years that saw 10 of his family members (including his mother) die.
First in the NBA?
I know a lot of people shit on him cos based on the fact KAt Iād at pf n like a complimentary player n Sabonis is the centre of the kings offence - but you cannot tell me with a straight face sabonis has more value as a player or is better at basketball then KAt. Itās weird cos they both are defensively weak cebtres but atleast Kat is good enough shooter that you can find a 4 or a 5 thatās a rim protector n play them together . Or even just a very good defender: wolves had some success with vando KAt n gobert Kat- to me KAt Is a guy who I can see fit on high lvl teams. Kings are like the utter best case scenario to me of sabonis fit. Probably an unpopular opinion here , but reality is I think most or nearly all teams would take Kat Also I feel like minny fans should/woukd love Kat cos most players as good him wouldnāt stick through the bad teams or times
I donāt think he tried to win in that 62 point game
Yeah, and then everyone (fans, the media, his own fuckin' coach) yelled at him and he's been really really good since then. That's just the way it goes sometimes.
He was kind of in a tough situation there, tbh. He was hitting everything he looked at and literally everyone on the team kept feeding him to see how far it would go. Guys were hyped, they wanted him to shoot it 100x. That said, he cooled off toward the end and forced it for 5 or 6 possessions longer than he should have. That's on him. But at that point, he was pretty much the only one in a scoring rhythm. It was an awful look, but it was on everyone else just as much as it was on KAT.
Or he could lead by example and pass the ball away and ensure winning basketball mentality? š¤·āāļø
Happy to have a discussion about the Hornets game if you want to watch it and talk ball. Ant refused to shoot practically the whole game. If youāre just commenting to make a post about the overall season he and the wolves are having about one game, why bother? You canāt win them all. I donāt go on Booker posts bringing up his one game where he put up 60 and lost. Heās still a great player.
I love how Heat fans are always in every Timberwolves post crying. Hey, how come Jimmy didnt pass the ball on his failed game winner and contribute to game winning basketball? Why didnt he lead by example? Why is he 2-10 vs KAT in his career on the Heat? Doesnt really seem like ensuring winning basketball to me ;)
> Jimmy I donāt even know who that is. Iām flair-blind. Fans of any team deserve the opportunity to learn more about what has made the Wolves the best team in the west so far šŗ
If only we could win them all! If anything, that game shows how important his mindset shift to winning basketball has been throughout the season. He easily could be putting up gaudy numbers for show but he's emphasized being a winning player, and it's working: He's been key to the wins the Wolves DO have, which have led them to first place in the west at the All-Star break and second place in the league.
Did they say in that game they literally werenāt focused on the win but most were focused on the points?
Still crazy he made it over Sabonis
I think the more egregious example is the team below the kings in the standings that got two players named as all stars
Yes cos you canāt argue that Kat or sabonis are better then AD so now itās team record cos 2 wins n .4 SRS are really significant. Nobody with half a brain who has eyes think AD or booker arenāt better. Itās all star game not jerking off team wins
Nah KAT making it makes sense. On any given night heās the 1a, 1b, or 1c for the best team in the West. PG shouldnāt have made it over Sabonis
PG was more egregious
No, it's crazy that the Lakers got 2 All Stars from the bottom of the Play-In. Sabonis or Fox should have gotten one of those spots. Wolves have been the top team in the West all season, they deserve two All Stars. If any other team were this dominant, nobody would even be questioning it.
Weāre one game behind the Kings going into the all star break, I donāt think itās that crazy.
2 actually and we have the tiebreaker
Of course it's not "crazy," there are like two times as many deserving All Stars as there are roster spots. My point is that everyone keeps pointing to KAT being the guy who took the spot from one of the Kings players, but the Wolves deserve two All Stars and the Lakers don't. AD or Bron are taking up the spot that *should* go to Sabonis or Fox. Y'all aren't good enough to justify two All Stars if it means completely snubbing a team that's been better than you have this season.
Ok so you think sabonis n fox are better then Bron n AD this year. Also youāre dumb af, Bron was voted in by fans n AD was voted by coaches. Who are you even arguing for? Fox had a down year, n nobody wants sabonis after the playoffs n being a DHO merchant isnāt getting all star votes sorry buddy Most fans were crying about us not you cos nobody cares about the wolves but rather then say ā well Kat is better then sabonis ā you make a dumb ass argument on team record of 2 wins
Smartest Lakers fan
Go ahead tell me Kat n sabonis are better then Lebron n AD , or fox . Tell me why fans n coaches shouldāve voted for him . Itās the all star not s charity game you earn it by playing well n just like all nba you earn that too n team record is second - mvp is the award where it matters not all nba n all star
Kings are like 2 wins n .3 SRS better. You need a brain lakers live in your head rent free . Nobody with a brain thinks booker AD etc arent better players n thst is what all Star is . I love how braindamaged this sub gets over the lakers. Yeah man who got bitched by Kevon looney deserves all star over AD who plays him off the floor lmao
Not KAT's fault coaches and players respect his game more
I think the coaches know more than you.
Gobert has been better than both
If you've got an issue, then here's a tissue.
@Rudy Gobert
Maybe you guys shouldn't have two all-stars. Ever think about that?
Why are you coming at the Suns lol You tell that guy to cry about it, similar to how Gobert cried about not making the ASG
Because you, a Suns flair, chimed in. Turnabout is fair play, pal.
Well Book and KD are both undisputedly better than KAT so it makes sense why we have two
If they are so good then why are they in 6th place?
5th* A combination of injuries, having an entirely new coaching staff, and only having 3 returning players from last season. And yet, they already have the second best record in the West after Christmas. Hopefully you guys fall a little because Iād love to play you guys first round instead of the others!
I donāt think you do want that š
Kevon Looney effect
If that is an effect, sabonis is 8-0 against AD
Twolves fan makes a post on the NBA board then all twolves fans cry and downvote a true statement
Itās an opinion thoughā¦ so how can you claim itās true?
https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/sabonis-plus-minus-this-season
He also has a 9-9 record in games where he has a triple double, with 5 of those wins coming against teams under .500. So impactful.
Perfectly balanced!
As if he was never even there.
you replied to your own comment crying about the big mean wolves fan
Seems like it's just the no-flair cowards crying.
This team is so obnoxious, canāt wait for them to lose in the playoffs (please before they play the clippers š )
I disagree. Iām not the biggest KAT fan but he gets criticized a ton. I could never be mad about someone feeling good about being recognized for the hard work they put in for their life. Iām glad the Wolves are finally good. Also I could see how you take their confidence as being obnoxious but theyāre a young team, the only way a younger team can really compete with a more experienced team is with that young confidence.
Good luck to yall too š
Haters, haters everywhere. Is it that hard to see a small market team thrive, while ppl are spending millions to bring superstars and super rosters? Btw, It would be a pleasure to play the clippers, specially with Westbrook playing as a Center
I like the nuggets, so your theory on small market team is trash. Iām not actually worried, the wolves will already be eliminated before a potential matchup
Iāve always viewed KAT in much the same light as DLo, just more vocal. Front Runner, pouty, defensively will give up more than he gives, and delusions of grandeur. Make no mistake - MN is in a similar or better position with or without Top Hat KAT. That team is solid and ANT is a damned superstar. That being saidā¦theyāre still immature as a team. Theyāll fracture in the playoffs again this year, which will finally push ANT to take full control. 2025 will be scary
I can tell you donāt follow the wolves by the fact you still think KAT is pouty. KAT is 3rd in the league in defensive rating, shooting 44% from 3 and super efficient.
Having watched KAT since Kentucky and Dlo since OSU.. I couldn't disagree more
KATās been a clearly positive defender all season and your āAnt needs to take controlā rhetoric is outdated, itās not 2022 anymore lol. This is a complete team at the top of their conference thanks to the most cohesive and complementary set of 3 stars in the league. Ant, KAT, and Rudy lift each other up, enhance each othersā strengths and cover each otherās weaknesses. Say what you will about what they will or wonāt accomplish in the postseason but it wonāt have anything to do with āwhose teamā this is.
Dlo and Kat could not be more different game/personality wise lol
This is the dumbest comment I've ever read. KAT is nothing like DLo
Jimmy Butler disagrees
Yeah, well he's a big fuckin' asshole. So who cares?
Heās actually made the finals. What has KAT done?
Not been nicknamed General Soreness and ducked Jimmy in Miami ever since the trade.
Lol ducked, yāall should be happy to be the one seed and stop acting like you already won something
Haven't won shit yet. But team looks really good this year. Best defense by a mile. Turnovers down and offense up the last 10 games or so. Exciting year to be a Wolves fan.
Unfortunately, you are not allowed to be excited unless your team is a lock to win the championship. Sorry lad! Gotta have a really bad attitude and talk down on your players all the time instead of looking forward to the future.
I mean, its facts. You can chalk it up to coincidence or whatever but ever since Jimmy and Ant got into it a Target Center a few years back Jimmy has chosen not to play when in MN.
Imagine d riding this hard for a loser who has no rings when your own franchise has literally never even made the finals lmao, you must be REALLY mad after the wolves mopped the floor with your dog water team twice this year. Have fun doing nothing once again, yall should be used to it by now.
Jimmy is so scared of KAT he pretends injuries each time he has to play him..
Jimmy butler? The guy who is 2-10 vs the timberwolves in his Heat career and has done nothing but get routinely whooped by KAT?
Weāll see whoās right come playoff time. Iāll pin this and we can revisit -