NJ native Karl-Anthony Towns helps lead Knicks to 2-0 NBA Finals advantage
Former mentor says Towns has evolved into a leader as New York moves closer to its first championship in 53 years.
The New York Knicks return to Madison Square Garden Monday night for the NBA Finals with a 2-0 series lead over the San Antonio Spurs.
A major reason for the Knicks’ success has been Piscataway native Karl-Anthony Towns, who has helped put New York two wins away from its first NBA championship in 53 years. Before attending the University of Kentucky, Towns played at St. Joseph High School in Metuchen.
“The fans have earned the right and deserve the right to see Finals basketball played here at Madison Square Garden. For this to be the first game in a long time that they’ve seen Finals basketball, it’s up to us to bring it,” Towns told reporters.
Eddie Bright, who coached and mentored Towns and is the founder of the Sports U AAU program, discussed his former student’s development into a leader for a historic Knicks team.
“It’s not surprising, but it is amazing because of the platform — because of it being New York, because of it being the Knicks. You know how they say, ‘If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere,’ so just seeing him manage the moment,” Bright said.
The youth basketball leader also commented on Towns’ evolution into an NBA star.
“He’s moving into superstar status because a lot of what’s going on with them winning is directly because of Karl-Anthony Towns. So it’s amazing to see the journey,” Bright said.
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In the Finals, Towns has been presented with the unique challenge of defending San Antonio Spurs 7-foot-4 star Victor Wembanyama.
“[Wembanyama] literally takes away half the court. And the way Karl is attacking him is something we haven’t seen before. Obviously, Isaiah Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren couldn’t do it,” Bright said, referring to the Oklahoma City Thunder duo who faced Wembanyama in the Western Conference Finals.
“But Karl has taken Wembanyama to the deep end of the pool — right at him, right into his chest, right to the basket without hesitation. So they can’t put Wembanyama all over the court. He’s having a problem managing Karl.”
What makes Towns remarkable is not just his 7-foot frame, but that the 2015 No. 1 overall draft pick is also a well-rounded person, Bright said.
“Karl is one of one. His personality, his eloquence, how articulate he is — he’s kind, he’s thoughtful. It’s great to see great things happen to great people, and I think Karl really represents that,” Bright said.
(Photo Credit: Associated Press)
