Name: Karl-Anthony Towns DOB: 11/15/1995 (19) School: Kentucky
Height: 7’0 Weight: 248 Projected Position: PF/C
Wingspan: 7’3.25 Standing Reach: 9’1
2014-15 Stats:
10.3 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 1.1 apg, 0.5 spg, 2.3 bpg, 1.4 tpg (21.1 minutes per game)
56.6 FG%, 81.3 FT%, 25.0 3FG% (8 attempts), 62.7 TS%, 57.0 eFG%
23.7 USG%, 14.2 ORB%, 22.3 DREB%, 18.5 TRB%, 11.5 BLK%, 1.4 STL%
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SKILLS & ATHLETIC BREAKDOWN
Offense
Post Offense
Towns is a good low post scorer, and he really learned to be dominant in the latter part of the season. Given, he often had a big size advantage over most of the “big men” he played against, but he still showed some good skill as a post scorer, and much of what he does should eventually translate to the pro game. Towns has good size for the low post, and he does a good job using his body to seal the defender, getting low and wide, and giving the passer a good target. Towns is very deliberate with his moves, methodically backing down defenders if he has the space and time. His footwork continues to improve, and though he’s not very quick with his movement, he uses his body well to throw into defenders to cause separation, though his tendency to throw elbows into a defender’s body as he makes his move can get him into some trouble. Towns can make moves on either block and over either shoulder, though he is much better making moves that bring him into position to shoot with his dominant right hand. He has very good touch around the basket, especially with his short hook shot. Towns’ go-to moves are a short hook shot dribble move from the left block over his left shoulder, and a drop-step from the right block over his left shoulder, which often brings him right to the basket. One thing he needs to watch with his footwork as he doesn’t always seem to account for where he is in the post as he makes his move, often causing him to make a move and not be in position for a good shot. Towns isn’t very strong yet with his left hand around the basket, yet seems to show a very nice left-handed hook in the lane. Towns doesn’t look to face up out of the low post often, but with his skills as a shooter and attacking off the dribble, it is an area he’ll be able to develop. Towns can be a very strong finisher around the basket, able to get good shots through contact, as long as he continues to be aggressive.
Towns will likely be a good option in pick-and-roll sets, both with his ability to get to the basket, or his potential to pop out on the perimeter and hit the mid- and long-range jumper. He is a very good passer out of the low post, showing good patience against double-teams, with the ability to scan the floor quickly and make a strong pass, even consistently hitting weak-side shooters behind the arc. Towns does a very good job cutting to the basket off of guard penetration, with the ability to finish in a very strong way.
Perimeter Offense
Towns has shown the foundation of becoming a good perimeter threat, both off the dribble and with his shot. Much of Towns’ perceived versatility comes from the notion that he will be able to stretch the floor with his shooting ability; he didn’t show much in that way last season, but you can see why people may believe in it. He has shown the ability to hit his jumper off the catch, or even a dribble or two, with college three-point range. Towns does a good job getting square to the basket off the catch, and he gets into his shooting motion quickly. His motion can be very fluid, with a high, consistent release, though he needs to find some consistency still with the motion itself. Towns can have problems getting good spacing with his feet before he shoots, and he didn’t always shoot the ball at the top of his motion; sometimes he would release the ball as he was still rising, so there are some mechanics he needs to continue to work on, but the foundation is good. Towns has also shown some ability to shoot a bit off the dribble in the mid-range area, often after a shot fake and one or two dribbles to clear the defender. As mentioned above, he also is a good option in the pick-and-pop, setting good screens and getting to open spots quickly, ready to shoot off the catch. Towns has shown some ability to take the ball off the dribble to the basket with either hand, though he didn’t get many opportunities during the season. He is a decent ballhandler for his size, but he can lose control a bit trying to navigate more than 10 feet off the dribble. This is another area where he has some good fundamental skill; he just needs to continue working to improve.
Free Throw Shooting
Towns is a very good free throw shooter, especially for a big man. He has a consistent routine and smooth motion, with a good release and follow-through. This makes him valuable in a couple of ways; there’s no need to worry about him being on the floor if teams look to intentionally foul, and the way he hits the glass and throws himself into his post moves allows him to pick up a lot of fouls Towns had a free throw rate of around 52.3 per 100 field goal attempts, excellent for a guy who could go a long time between scoring opportunities for most of the year in the Kentucky offense.
Defense
Post Defense/Help Defense
Towns is an above-average post defender, with the potential to be even better. He does a good job positioning himself between his man and the basket, getting low with a wide base and good defensive stance. Towns doesn’t mind playing some physical defense at times, though he will shy away a bit if the offensive player comes back as strong at him, or he will pick up needless fouls. Still, he does use his lower body well to hold his ground. Towns reacts well to his man’s movements, showing good footwork in all directions. Towns has very good defensive awareness, and with the constant switching in Kentucky’s defense, he was always clear to communicate with teammates. He does a very good job as a help defender around the basket, using his length and ability to get off the ground quickly to protect the rim. His timing and extension are good when blocking shots, and he does a good job coming over from the weak-side when needed. Towns showed very good skill as a pick-and-roll defender, hedging out well on the ballhandler, moving his feet well to contain, and using his length to take away a lot of the ballhandler’s options.
Perimeter Defense (On/Off Ball)
Towns is a good perimeter defender for his size, showing strong positioning, and a good defensive stance, with his feet active and his arms out. Towns has good lateral movement, and even if he gets beat off the dribble, he does a good job looking to recover. He can be slow to react to shooters on the perimeter, and he needs to watch falling for shot fakes easily.
Rebounding
Towns is a very good rebounder, using his body well on both ends of the floor to clear space, and going strong after the ball. He is very active on the offensive glass, using his body well to get position, and going strong after the missed shot. He is very good about going right back up with the ball for a quick second-chance shot, often drawing a lot of contact as he does so. Towns can also be very good on the defensive boards, working hard to clear space and extending well to secure the ball. He reacts well to bounces on the rim, showing good second-jump ability for his size.
Transition
Towns runs the floor well for his size, and he is at his best coming down the middle for a catch in the lane and a strong finish. Eventually, he’ll likely also add some other dimensions to his transition offense, but he’ll need to build his ballhandling and shooting skills first.
Intangibles/Summary
It’s easy to see why teams were excited at the prospect of getting Towns in this draft, partly because of what he can do, but very much about what he may be able to do three to four years down the road. He is a skilled offensive player, showing the basics of a strong low post scoring game, as well as some very good shooting skills on the perimeter. It’s all about the solid foundation he has as a player; he’s still not great in any one area on offense, dominating 6’8 guys in the post doesn’t count too much, but there is a lot for him to build on in his first few years in the NBA. Towns is a very good rebounder on both ends of the floor, and he has learned to use his body well to clear space when needed. He also runs the floor very well for his size, showing some good finishing skills in transition. Defense is where Towns can offer more right now, having the ability to defend the post and the perimeter. He also has improving ability as a rim protector, and as he matures physically, he may even offer more in all of these areas. Still just 19 years old, Towns has the potential to be a very good player on both ends of the floor, and his versatility on both ends will allow coaches to put him in the best spots to contribute. By all accounts, Towns is a hard worker and coachable, so they he may never reach his full potential, he will probably get a good part of the way there.
Draft Value: Early Lottery – #1-5
It’s presumed now that Minnesota is going to take Towns at #1, and it’s tough to argue with his pick. He has excellent potential on both ends of the floor, though he is more ready to contribute now on defense than offense. One caution for fans – many of his skills aren’t ready for the NBA yet, so it could be a bit before he can really start to show what he is capable of. There’s a good chance we’ll see Towns as a multiple-time All-Star down the road.
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