Turning Pressure Into Gold: The Alchemy of Karl-Anthony Towns

Photo Credit: Scott McDermott

BY LAURA SCHREFFLER

PHOTOGRAPHY SCOTT MCDERMOTT

STYLING COURTNEY MAYS

GROOMING MELANIE HUGHES-WEAVER

SHOT ON LOCATION AT 15920 ALCIMA AVE, PACIFIC PALISADES, CA 90272

Karl-Anthony Towns believes in alchemy — or at least, he plays like he does. Every season, without fail, he turns hardwood into highlight reels, spin moves into sorcery, and three-pointers into gold. It’s fitting, really, that the only book he makes time to reread every single year is The Alchemist.

While Towns clearly has his own brand of magic, Paulo Coelho’s allegorical novel is really a modern-day parable about chasing one’s dreams and a discovery of self — and that checks out, too.

“I try to read The Alchemist every year because it changes every year,” the 29-year-old NBA star says with disarming matter-of-factness over Zoom during New York Fashion Week. It’s a ritual dating back to his University of Kentucky days — and one that now carries extra resonance, as he was just inducted into the UK Athletics Hall of Fame on September 12. Each reread, he explains, reveals something new in its pages, something he wasn’t ready to see the year before. It is his ritual, his grounding force, the lens through which he interprets growth and change.

He devours books quickly and voraciously — sometimes in a day, sometimes in two — and it’s not hard to draw the parallel: just as Coelho’s shepherd searches the desert for meaning, Towns has been on his own journey, searching for purpose well beyond the painted lines of the court. That he’s currently exploring Paulo Coelho’s 1987 debut, The Pilgrimage — a semi-autobiographical account of the spiritual quest that would ultimately inspire The Alchemist — also makes sense.

What Towns last realized on his alchemical quest for self-discovery is this: “It helped me to remember not to get so attached to one goal to the point of losing sight as to why I was doing it; to not get so caught up with a goal that everything else got thrown to the side.”

That discovery is much the same for those of us who watch him. We think we know Karl-Anthony Towns the athlete — the five-time NBA All-Star, the three-time All-NBA Third Team selection, the 2016 Rookie of the Year. We know the man who was traded to the New York Knicks in September 2024 after nine seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves, the player who holds the league record for most three-pointers made by a center, and who became the fastest in Knicks history to reach 500 points and 250 rebounds. We know his accolades, his numbers, the milestones that place him among the most prolific shooting big men in NBA history. But discovering Karl-Anthony Towns the man — the thinker, the reader, the son, the romantic, the philanthropist — is something else entirely.

Photo Credit: Scott McDermott

Maybe it’s because he’s full of contradictions, or perhaps more accurately, layers. He is a seven-foot superstar, but he approaches conversations with a softness that makes you lean in. He is, by all accounts, an anomaly: a Dominican-American kid from New Jersey who became the face of a franchise, then a cornerstone of one of the most storied teams in the league — all while staying rooted in humility and an insatiable appetite for learning.

Towns’ journey to New York was itself a story of evolution. After spending nearly a decade with the Timberwolves, where he scored a franchise-record 975 three-pointers and became the second player in franchise history to hit 11,000 points, he transitioned to the Knicks in what would become a pivotal moment in his career. In Minnesota, he had been the loyal cornerstone, the face of a team clawing its way toward relevance. He led them to the playoffs in 2018, 2022, and again in 2024, when they reached the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2004. That same year, he scored a franchise-record 62 points in a single game, cementing his reputation as one of the league’s most dynamic offensive threats.

New York, however, has been something else entirely — a rebirth. In the 2024–25 season, Towns helped the Knicks reach the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 25 years, defeating the reigning champions, the Boston Celtics, in a run that electrified the city. The Knicks finished the regular season with a 51–31 record, their best since 2012–13, and Towns’ presence was a pivotal part of that. He recently became the 18^th player in NBA history to notch 13,000 points, 6,000 rebounds, and 1,000 three-pointers — a milestone that underscores not just longevity, but dominance. For the seventh straight season, he also hit 100+ three-pointers, furthering his case as one of the all-time great shooting big men.

But if the stats and accolades explain his presence on the court, they don’t fully explain the person I’m speaking to. Because the Karl-Anthony Towns I’m chatting to today, the larger-than-life athlete with the big heart and genuine, disarming smile I met during our photo shoot in the Pacific Palisades a month prior, isn’t preoccupied with his numbers. He’s talking about balance, about humility, and his own journey of transformation.

“I’m a big believer that I’m bigger than nobody at all. I am not more important than anybody in this world. I am a man who is here to serve and lead. I’m here to serve others, whether that’s through the hours I put in basketball, the inspiration I can provide in the game, or the entertainment I can give fans in times of darkness when basketball becomes an outlet for them,” he shares, adding that his intention is to “walk outside of those lines and show them what is possible when you find success, and that — with hard work and determination — you can make positive change in the world. You can make historical sporst achievements. And it just doesn’t take anyone special: just someone willing to make the sacrifice for it.”

Photo Credit: Scott McDermott

This duality — the towering competitor and the introspective seeker — runs through every facet of his life. Towns is a man who thrives under the blinding lights of Madison Square Garden, yet he grounds himself in quiet rituals: reading, reflecting, watching the stars. He is a man who — on the cusp of 30 — has broken records and carried franchises, who’s seven feet tall yet he insists he isn’t the “biggest person in the room.” And he means it in the most important way.

That humility is something Towns has carried with him since his earliest days in the league. Drafted first overall in 2015, he quickly proved he was more than hype. His rookie season was a revelation: 18.3 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks per game, numbers that earned him Rookie of the Year honors unanimously. But beyond the stats, there was something about his style of play — a fluidity, a confidence from the three-point line, a versatility — that redefined what he could be.

Over the years, Towns has leaned into that identity, transforming himself into one of the NBA’s greatest shooting centers. In fact, he is the only center to consistently hit over 100 three-pointers in seven consecutive seasons. He has had nights where his range has single-handedly dismantled defenses, most memorably that 62-point performance in January 2024, a game that was as much a display of precision as it was of sheer will. And yet, even with all of that, he remains drawn to the intangible — not the box scores, but the meaning behind them.

And maybe that’s why The Alchemist resonates so deeply. Because Towns’ story is not just about basketball; it’s about a search for purpose. He has been tested; losing his mother, Jackie Cruz-Towns, to COVID-19 in 2020 was a tragedy that reshaped him. He has been challenged — navigating injuries, criticism, and the weight of expectation. He has been celebrated — All-Star selections, franchise records, national commercials, and partnerships with brands like Nike, Gatorade, Peloton, Fanatics, and Bloomingdale’s. And yet, through all of it, he has remained on a journey, seeking meaning beyond the roar of the crowd.

Photo Credit: Scott McDermott
That journey has also taken him into unexpected arenas. He is a voice actor on HBO Max’s Velma, appeared in films like National Champions and What Men Want, and even served as an executive producer on the short film Forgiving Johnny. These ventures into entertainment are not vanity projects, but extensions of his curiosity and creativity. They allow him to tell stories, to explore perspectives, to add dimensions to a public identity that could easily be flattened into “basketball star.”

At the same time, his leadership has expanded off the court. In 2025, he was elected vice president of the National Basketball Players Association’s Executive Committee, a role that places him at the forefront of shaping the league’s future. He is also deeply involved in social justice initiatives, and has attracted attention for them as such, including being named the 2024 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion. He serves on the board of the National Basketball Social Justice Coalition, is a Global Ambassador for World Youth Clubs, and has been consistently recognized for his philanthropy, from COVID-19 relief efforts to coat drives in Minnesota to new basketball facilities in the Dominican Republic.

These accomplishments, layered one on top of the other, paint the picture of a man whose life is as multifaceted as his game. He is the record-breaking shooter, yes, but also the voracious reader. He is the All-Star, yes, but also the philosopher searching the stars. He is the Knicks’ powerhouse, yes, but also the son who carries his mother’s memory into every arena he enters.

And so, when he shares that a Minnesota pastor put into words what he was struggling to vocalize about himself, it lands with weight. “He said, ‘What I do gets more attention than who I am, even though who I am is more important than what I do.’ I’ve always felt that. Everyone cares so much about me as the basketball player, but [my goal] is to stay locked in on to who I am as a person and continue to grow as a human, as a man, and to be the best version of myself that I can be. This requires me to listen to people, be considerate, hear people out, and allow myself to be in other people’s shoes. It keeps me grounded.”

He pauses, thoughtful, as if considering the weight of his own words. Because in the end, Towns knows that the real magic isn’t in the numbers — it’s in the transformation. It’s in the love he carries from his mother, the energy he draws from his Dominican roots, the connection he feels with fans in New York and beyond. That alchemy — turning loss into purpose, talent into service, and success into inspiration — is what defines him far more than any stat line ever could.

What he’s really saying is that size, fame, and accolades are not the measure of a man. What matters is humility. What matters is growth. What matters is the pursuit of meaning, even in a world that constantly tries to define you by your box score.

Photo Credit: Scott McDermott          

 If you ask Karl-Anthony Towns whether he vibes with New York or not, the answer is pretty obvious. Of course he does — he’s a Scorpio, after all.

“This city is so much love. There’s so much passion about what everyone does here in New York, especially for basketball, and I’m just following that kind of rhythm, you know?” He pauses. “I’m a very passionate player. I’m a passionate person. I don’t know if you believe in horoscopes, but being a Scorpio, we’re known to be passionate people… and I’m definitely that. I’ve always lived like that. I’ve always played like that. So, I think we resonate, the city and me.”

Obviously, because he knows his sun sign so well, I want to know more. So, we go to the astrology app, Co — Star. Because he has an account, you see — one that he and Jordyn Woods, his girlfriend of five years, set up on a forgotten night early in their relationship, fueled by espresso martinis. Talking the sun, moon, and stars with Karl-Anthony Towns wasn’t on my 2025 bingo card, but I’m not sad about it — mostly because it’s one of the most entertaining conversations I’ve had all year. And in case inquiring minds want to know: he’s also a Leo moon and Cancer rising, with his Venus in Sagittarius. You’re welcome.

I learn all this thanks to Woods, who’s also in the room. Their vibe is pure entertainment; her interpretation of his chart even more so. “You’re a Leo moon. Oh, cool. Leos love to be the center of attention. I don’t want to say self-centered, but they’re the lion, Leo,” she teases.

“Why you got so much pizzazz saying that?” he hits back.

She ignores him. “Cancer rising means you’re in touch with your emotions.”

He interjects: “Which is too funny. FYI, my mom was a cancer. So, it only makes sense that I’m in touch with my emotions.”

“I never thought I’d see you on Co — Star,” she says. Which is how I come to learn of said espresso-fueled night.
“I haven’t, since we set it up,” he retorts.

Photo Credit: Scott McDermott

The app is set to give users a personal daily message. Today, Towns’ is ‘Love is possible.’ “They’re, like, five years late telling you this,” Woods says. Towns agrees, but notes, “Love is always possible.”

Their dynamic is great. They’re comfortable enough to tease one another, but the love there is palatable, too. It’s clear that she has become family in the five years since meeting at a mutual friends’ party, where (he says) he solidly beat her at a now-unforgettable game of UNO.

It’s a story they both retold recently at a New York Fashion Week dinner, where Woods was debuting her first-ever fashion brand. Even early on in their relationship, he knew how special their relationship was, so insisted that they get matching Audemars Piguet timepieces, which she had inscribed for their anniversary. “In a way, we were making an investment in each other. These watches will always be connected to each other, and every time that we wear them, it will remind us of one another,” he says.

He romantically recalls a trip to Capri, a time, he shares, where they were actually living on the Italian island instead of playing tourists. It sounds like paradise: he had just purchased a watch from his favored brand and was in his favorite country with his favorite girl. They sat in a mom-and-pop restaurant, off-the-beaten-path, eating lemon pasta, “just enjoying each other.” But the watch became significant because, for Towns, it “captured the moment and allowed us in that moment to realize how special it was.”

It’s in those moments — in the recollection of martinis and Uno cards, merged with playful, fond bickering — that the veneer of stardom slips a little. You see not just the NBA star but the man who relishes small joys, the private games and inside jokes that make a relationship hum. Jordyn, he admits, is often the one who makes sure the fun doesn’t get lost in the intensity of his schedule — and also the one who challenges him intellectually. “I definitely like stimulating conversation; that’s always been my thing. That’s what me and Jordyn have always had. And that’s what’s kept us always on our toes.”

Photo Credit: Scott McDermott

It’s the kind of answer that surprises you. Not the wild nights out, not the glamour, but something real, something tangible.

The playfulness, too, balances something deeper. When the conversation turns toward age — his Scorpio self will turn the big 3-0 on November 15, he doesn’t hesitate to discuss it — or how little the number itself truly matters.

“I’m not going to allow a number to dictate how I should be feeling about life,” Towns says, with the kind of conviction that comes from lived experience. “I’m very happy where I’m at every day. I know people who are really young and got their life figured out. I know people who are really old and they’re just figuring it out. Age is just a number. It’s all about how young I keep my heart, how long I can keep myself centered and intact —who I am — and my morals and values.”

It’s an answer that could veer towards cliché in lesser hands, but he backs it with detail. Medically, he jokes, his body scans “way younger than my biological age.” Mentally, though? “I feel much older than my biological age. And physically, I feel much younger. So, I’m in a good spot with that kind of split.”

That balance between mind, body, and spirit isn’t just something Towns talks about in theory — it’s reflected in how people connect with him. At one point, our chat is interrupted by a burst of Spanish as he hits the streets of New York. He translates what a fan has stopped to tell him: “‘Thanks for taking care of the kids, thanks for representing the culture.’”

When the quick exchange is over, he confides, visibly moved, “That keeps me going. That’s what fuels me.”
The source of that fuel, he explains, runs deeper still — back to his mother’s country. The Dominican Republic has shaped every part of him — not just his career, but his character itself. “It’s given me the most special woman in my life. It’s given me the chance to experience her culture and be part of her culture. I’m just blessed that I have the chance to represent my mother’s country. With all the love and support [its people have] shown me — not only in basketball but in life, in teaching me how to be a better man — it’s only right that I give back.”

He’s put acts of service into action by helping to create a facility in the Dominican city of Santiago — a state-of-the-art basketball training complex in partnership with GO Ministries and GO Sports designed to nurture three to six thousand kids and provide “resources to chase their dreams, not just in sports, but academically, spiritually. Give them a chance to expand their horizons, to become the best men and women they can be.”

Photo Credit: Scott McDermott

This commitment to philanthropy is part of why TIME named him to its 2025 Latino Leaders list, spotlighting the way he uses his platform to give back. “Our country is built on faith,” he says. “So, to have them not only giving kids the best training in sports possible but also teaching them to be the best version of themselves — that’s humbling. That’s love.”

It is that word — “love” — that anchors him. It threads through this conversation again and again, tying together his Dominican roots, his family, and the fans who greet him at Madison Square Garden and on the streets of New York. “Love is something that’s big in Dominican culture, especially. I’ve always talked about it, even at my mom’s funeral. She taught me what the word really means, how it really is. And to have that energy from the fans — not only at MSG, but in the streets, on and off court — that’s been so special. I just hope they see me evolve as a man and they respect that evolution,” he says. It is an evolution, Towns knows, that has always been guided by love — in his mother’s lessons, in Jordyn’s grounding presence, and in the connection he feels with New York fans; reminders that love is the foundation of everything. For Towns, Love truly is all around. 

And right now, it looks more personal: he’s heading out with Jordyn for an early bird dinner to celebrate her NYFW success. His mother’s lessons echo in the back of his mind as he puts it simply, “I’m just trying to treat her right. My mom would not have allowed me to treat her wrong.”

Moments like these — small, grounded, quietly significant — are what give meaning to the bigger picture. Maybe this is why Towns’ evolution feels less like a conclusion than a promise, proof that legacy and success aren’t measured in statistics alone, but in the way love and respect endure beyond the game, a truth Towns himself sums up best by saying, “[The greatest luxury in life] is always love. And out of love comes respect. That’s my goal every single day: to continue to be worthy of it.”

Photo Credit: Scott McDermott