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Karl-Anthony Towns – Minnesota Timberwolves
Age: 20
2015-16 Per Game Averages: 18.3 points, 10.5 rebounds, two assists, 1.7 blocks.
Don’t let age fool you, even though he is just about to enter his sophomore season, Karl-Anthony Towns is the fourth best center the league has to offer.
Towns’ abilities are not a secret. The Minnesota big man was a dead cert for the Rookie of the Year award and that first season has inspired comparisons to that of another great, LeBron James. That is quite a complimentary comparison and, although the King hasn’t commented on the comparison himself, he has written about Towns on kicker.com.
“…of course I agree that Karl-Anthony Towns deserved to be named Rookie of the Year. Look at his numbers. He averaged 18 points, nearly 11 rebounds, a couple blocks and a couple assists per game. Those are incredible numbers for anyone, let alone a 20-year-old first year player.”
Setting aside the rest of James’ frankly bizarre article, it is clear to all that Towns is a truly phenomenal player. The guy’s offensive package is unbelievably well developed. He has post moves. He has good passing. KAT even has range, as is so vital in today’s NBA, and he is working on making his three-pointers more of a weapon.
“My shot has looked the best it’s looked in about four years, and I’m really happy,” Towns said, via Jace Frederick of TwinCities.com.
And, in case that wasn’t enough, Towns is as solid a rebounder as you would expect. He pulled down 11.7 rebounds per 36 minutes in his rookie year and 3.1 of those were offensive rebounds. Those are solid numbers but they could get even better. Towns is a good athlete for his size but he could be stronger and that would go a long way to helping him battle in the paint and become one of the NBA’s most dominant glass-eaters.
Another area that could develope is defense but, especially for a 20-year-old, he is remarkably competent at it already. His 1.7 blocks per game might not hold a candle to a DeAndre Jordan or a Hassan Whiteside (remember that name) but don’t mistake that for Towns being poor on D.
Going into his sophomore year, KAT could genuinely become a top-two center in the NBA and, although every position is tight, he could easily have been higher on this list. His offensive arsenal is scary and his potential in every other aspect should have the league bracing itself for the next few years when Karl-Anthony Towns will become a top-five superstar.
On the best young team in the NBA, KAT is the next big thing, make no mistake about it.
Next: No. 3