PODCAST: 1-on-1 with Minnesota Timberwolves Rookie Karl-Anthony Towns
By Rob Perez
Things we already know about Minnesota Timberwolves Rookie Center Karl Anthony-Towns
- He’s Tall
- Like Really Tall
- I may or may not have made him lean over in this pic to make me look less tiny
- He was the first overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft via the University of Kentucky
- He’s like really really good at basketball, was described as a potential “Hall-of-Famer” by Kevin Durant, and is the leader in the clubhouse to be the Rookie of the Year
What you may not know about ‘KAT’ is that he (along with teammates Andrew Wiggins, Zach LaVine, and Shabazz Muhammad) is a notorious Call of Duty lover, wants to be a doctor one day, and the first thing he did after signing his big rookie contract was paying off his parent’s mortgage.
Don’t believe me? Listen for yourself.
(0:00 – first 6:30 of podcast): Karl discusses his day touring Treyarch Studios in Santa Monica, playing Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 along side the world’s top COD players, and why he and so many NBA players love Call of Duty so much.
(6:30 – 13:25): Who is Karl Anthony-Towns? How did he get here?”
(13:25 – End): A quick monologue on the experience of getting to meet and chat with KAT in such a private setting
The highlights of the interview are transcribed below, and have been paraphrased for readability:
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WWW: If Karl Anthony-Towns was not in the NBA right now, what would he be doing for work?
KAT: I’d definitely be a baseball player or a kinesiologist
WWW: If you could posterize someone right now who would it be?
KAT: hmmmm.
WWW: Willie Caulie-Stein? Porzingis?
KAT: nooooo no no. Probably Manute Bol or Yao Ming. We all wanna go for the big guys, but, that’s not the key to the game the key to the game is get W’s.
WWW: Do you have any funky pregame rituals?
KAT: I always chew green gum pregame. When we do our team warmup, I chew blue gum. Green gum for high school, blue gum for college. Thankfully, I play on a team where the team colors are green and blue so it works out.
WWW: Do you have a celebrity crush? Anyone out there you tryin to hook up with?
KAT: Nahhh. Not yet.
WWW: Like it or not, the NBA is evolving from the traditional big man to “small ball” where guards are running up and down the court all game. Are you prepared for this?
KAT: I’m always ready. I’ve been blessed with the athleticism and the ability to stay with any position from 3 through 5, so, I work hard on my game to be able to defend any matchup. Any player.
WWW: If I play against you in Call of Duty, am I going to see you running around the map like a lunatic or hiding in a bush sniping?
KAT: I’m Rambo.
WWW: What makes Call of Duty better than Halo — why do all the NBA players flock to the franchise? Because it’s more realistic?
KAT: They’re both historic franchises, but, Call of Duty gives you a unique adrenaline rush. It’s so action-packed. The formula is really simple for any of us to just pick up and play, but at the same time: it’s incredibly difficult to master.
WWW: Super Bowl prediction. Go.
KAT: 35-21 Panthers.
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PREVIOUS 1-on-1 PODCASTS:
Kyle Lowry, Toronto Raptors
Willie Cauley-Stein, Sacramento Kings