The pandemic has been hard on everyone, but for some families, it’s been utterly devastating. And as we’ve learned, virtually no one is immune to the horrors of the deadly virus that sent the world into lock-down mode for the better part of the year. With the vaccine entering into circulation, the hope is that things will get back to normal soon.
Still, many people’s live have been changed forever. Minnesota Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns and his family have been affected to a nearly unimaginable degree. It started with his mother, who died in March from complications from the disease. But since then, he’s lost six other families due to COVID as well.
So it was naturally with a heavy heart that he took to the floor for the first time on Wednesday since the shutdown. Towns helped lead his team to the 111-101 win over the Pistons, finishing with 22 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists. Afterward, he talked about what an emotional night it was, carrying the burden of all that loss as he tried to get back to the business of basketball.
“It was heavy. It was different. It’s just always different. I’m just happy I got this for her.”
An emotional KAT chats with @MarneyGellner after playing his first NBA game since his mother’s passing. pic.twitter.com/GB3QTZoOx8
— FOX Sports North (@fsnorth) December 24, 2020
KAT and the Timberwolves are looking to make significant strides this season after adding No. 1 overall pick Anthony Edwards, who scored 15 points in his NBA debut. This will also mark the first full season with KAT playing alongside close friend D’Angelo Russell, not to mention the return of Ricky Rubio, who spent the first six seasons of his career in Minnesota before stints in Utah and Phoenix.
Towns has been extremely open and honest about how difficult this year has been for him and opened up further on the matter after the game, explaining how he doesn’t even feel like the same person anymore.
Here’s the full quote from KAT when asked about how the team’s game-to-game mindset compared to previous seasons pic.twitter.com/5cXuk4Gj7X
— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) December 24, 2020
It’s gutting to hear Towns talk like that and hopefully being back on the court can bring him some of the joy back.