On a recent podcast appearance with Patrick Beverley, Minnesota Timberwolves big man Karl-Anthony Towns said people will consider him as someone who “changed the game” once he retires. Towns adds onto that lofty declaration by saying kids rising through the ranks will be able to play a different way because of how he thrived in the NBA. That quote went viral, as many folks interacted with Towns’ quote, including Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green.
The backlash didn’t end there, when ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins’ addressed Towns’ comments during Thursday’s episode of First Take.
“How can you change the game when at times we don’t even know you exist?” Perkins said. “I feel like with Karl-Anthony Towns, just stop with the interviews at this point, bruh. And who are the people that are gonna say you actually changed the game? You haven’t done it yet.”
.@KendrickPerkins reacts to KAT saying that at the end of his career, people will say he changed the game:
“How can you change the game when at times we don’t even know you exist?” pic.twitter.com/thbLYE0uGN
— First Take (@FirstTake) June 15, 2023
As harsh as Perkins’ words may come across, his critiques seem quite measured and reasonable. Towns is a tremendous player and talent. He’s garnered three All-Star honors and two All-NBA nods since entering the league in 2015-16. Yet he also touts a history of going quiet offensively for too long in games and committing undisciplined fouls, and has been inconsistent during his three first-round playoff appearances.
He’s one of the greatest outside shooting big man ever, but needs to avoid those dormant stretches and clean up his decision-making before he enters the utmost echelon of bigs around the league, headlined by champions and two-time MVPs, Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo. If he ever reaches that level, his hopes of changing the game will certainly be much more attainable.