Karl-Anthony Towns is not a unicorn or a hypebeast. His game is not especially fun or revolutionary. He’s a big man with exceptional range, but that’s become the norm rather than the exception. He’s put up absurd numbers in his first few years in the league, but those gaudy stats have been accompanied by a nagging feeling that he still has more to give.

It’s against that backdrop that Towns has become something of an afterthought in the current conversation of young and talented stars. It doesn’t help his cause that Jimmy Butler has emerged as Minnesota’s best player, while earning well-deserved kudos for helping turn the franchise around.

Butler’s been sublime, but this feels like a good time to take a critical reassessment of KAT’s progress.

 

When the Wolves struggled last season, Towns’ star began to dim. Yes, he averaged 25 points and 12 rebounds and made a run at an All-NBA nod, but the Wolves won only two more games than they did the previous season and never entered into the playoff race.