Karl-Anthony Towns may wear a Knicks jersey now, but his heart clearly still beats for Minnesota. After spending the bulk of his NBA career in the Twin Cities, Towns built more than just a stat line there-he built a deep connection with the community. And in the wake of two recent tragedies involving the deaths of Minnesota citizens at the hands of federal agents, Towns has stepped forward with a message that speaks beyond basketball.
Taking to social media, Towns expressed his heartbreak over the incidents, calling for accountability and transparency. “These events have cost lives and shaken families,” he wrote.
“We must call for accountability, transparency, and protections for all people. This moment demands that we must reflect honestly on what our values truly are.”
He closed with a personal note of condolence, naming the two individuals at the center of the tragedies: Reneé Good and Alex Pretti.
These weren’t just words from a distance. Towns’ message came from someone who spent nearly a decade as a face of the Timberwolves franchise and a visible member of the Minneapolis-St.
Paul community. His voice carries weight there, and he used it to call for reflection and change.
The NBA community has been responding, too. After the second killing occurred on Saturday, the league postponed the Timberwolves’ matchup against the Golden State Warriors, pushing it to Sunday. In the aftermath, both teams’ head coaches-Steve Kerr for the Warriors and Chris Finch for the Wolves-addressed the situation, acknowledging the emotional toll and the gravity of what had transpired.
Towns wasn’t alone in speaking out. Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton also shared his thoughts publicly, and WNBA star Breanna Stewart made her own statement while participating in Unrivaled this weekend. These aren’t just isolated comments-they’re part of a larger chorus of athletes using their platforms to speak on issues that extend far beyond the hardwood.
When the rescheduled Warriors-Wolves game was finally played, Golden State came away with a 111-85 win. But the night was about more than the scoreboard. Just a couple of weeks earlier, following the death of Reneé Good, the Timberwolves held a moment of silence before their game against the Cleveland Cavaliers-a quiet gesture that underscored the pain and gravity of what the community is going through.
For Towns, this isn’t just about showing support from afar. It’s about standing with a city that helped shape him-not just as a player, but as a person.
His message, and the reactions across the league, are reminders that sports don’t exist in a vacuum. Sometimes, the most powerful moments come not from a game-winning shot, but from a player using his voice when it matters most.