2023 NBA Awards: 1 dark horse candidate to win each honor
NBA Awards: Karl-Anthony Towns makes the jump to MVP status in 2023
Luka Doncic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Joel Embiid are the most popular picks to win this award, but I’m expecting a career year from Minnesota Timberwolves big man Karl-Anthony Towns that’ll push him into MVP conversations.
If everything goes according to plan, the Wolves will have home-court advantage in the playoffs, Rudy Gobert will play like the habitual DPOY candidate he’s become known for, and Anthony Edwards makes that leap forward everyone is so certain he’ll take in year three. And, all of that will be made possible because of the MVP-level play from KAT.
To get there, he’ll have to show he’s matured and ready to be the leader this team needs to get to the next level. Towns has the skillset, mindset, and stats that aren’t too far off from being MVP-level— last season, he averaged 24.6 ppg, 9.8 rpg, and 3.6 apg.
With Gobert anchoring the defense, Towns should not have as many instances of getting pulled off the court due to foul trouble. If he’s on the court more, he’ll score more and have more opportunities to rebound the ball. He’ll need to play well every night and dominate. He’s got to use that strong and athletic body to plow through defenders and finish at the rim to capture the attention of MVP voters.
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If he gets closer to a stat line of 28-12-5 and the Wolves are near the top of the Western Conference standings, Karl-Anthony Towns just might have an argument to join in on the MVP discussions next season.