u/PassMeTheBackwood

Source (Free article by Jon Krawczynski): https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7618092/2026/09/30/karl-anthony-towns-nba-championship-work-ethic/?unlocked_article_code=1.FFE.i2mv.JECpWPgva7jn&source=emp_shared_article&smid=ta-ios-share

Some more interesting quotes:

Self Validation:

“The ability to celebrate and rejoice and have that joy of a kid without being judged,” Towns told The Athletic. “And also just the freedom of being able to really talk your s— for real, like being able to say you’re the champion and no one being like, well, this or that, whatever. - Karl-Anthony Towns

“When you are young, you’re looking at a championship as a sense of accomplishment,” Towns said. “I think for me, in that moment winning it, it felt very freeing because a lot of the questions I know people had on me were put to rest.” - Karl-Anthony Towns

“My skill, my experience and my personal life all came together at the right moment, at the top, top, top of the game. There’s a lot of euphoria in the Towns family right now.” - Karl-Anthony Towns

Jimmy Butler:

“When there were eight seconds to go in the game, I started crying because my emotions caught up to me,” he said. “As a dad, you sit here and you hear all the rumors. ‘He can’t do it. He’s not tough. He’ll never win a championship.’ I knew in the next eight seconds, life was going to change. All the haters, all the naysayers, everybody who doubted him have to shut their mouths and respect him now.” - Karl Towns Sr.

“I just was never going to change who I was, even when the world was asking me to change who I was, so I could be the character in their story, I just was going to continue to be me.” - Karl-Anthony Towns

“I think people were projecting their internal insecurities. When you’re a nice person and people feel like you’re not going to say anything back, they feel entitled to say something about you.” - Jordyn Woods

“It only hurt me as a father to hear people saying stuff that was negative that wasn’t true to bring him down. But in the end, it all paid up. Jimmy ain’t got no championship. Karl bypassed him.” - Karl Towns Sr.

“Now the Jimmy narrative’s very different. But it only took, what, almost a decade?” - Jordyn Woods

“I think mental fortitude and mental strength doesn’t need to come with a frown on it. You can still smile and have an amazing amount of mental strength and have that Mamba Mentality.” - Karl-Anthony Towns

Andrew Wiggins:

“I’m just happy that those back-to-back Rookies of the Year in Minnesota grew into the men that people asked us to be, which was world champions,” Towns said of himself and Wiggins. “And we found a way to get it done in our own ways.” - Karl-Anthony Towns

Giannis Trade Rumors

“I honestly stopped going to the games for a little while. It was turning dark.” - Jordyn Woods

We were on Zillow looking at Milwaukee,” Towns said, smiling and mimicking his conversations with Jordyn about checking out real estate. “Like, ‘Hey, babe, I went around town, and it’s not that bad. This could be a good spot right here.’” - Karl-Anthony Towns

Knicks Playoff Run:

“Whatever was needed, I was willing to do at the highest level and be a star in my role. I think, in my career, I’ve always talked about my versatility, and it took that word versatility to get this championship.” - Karl-Anthony Towns

“Everybody that tried to doubt him, I don’t hear them. Why aren’t you on the internet saying s— now?” - Karl Towns Sr.

Karl-Anthony Towns' response to the Knicks' public statement regarding the front office tabling extension talks until later in the season: "It was news to me. Very disappointed to say the least. Let's state the obvious. It's business, but there is business on the court for us to handle."

AJ Dybantsa on his 4 steal game: “I always knew I had defensive potential. It was just me being lazy in college … I’m definitely capable of [defending] at the highest level.”

[SNY] Mikal Bridges talks about Knicks fans: "I hold myself accountable at all times. That's the thing that I do love about this organization and the fans, even though some might be a little more crazy than others, but they want the best out of you. I'll never take that for granted."

[SNY] Mike Brown took the Knicks' starting five aside, looked at his bench players today at practice and said: "Everybody else in this gym, you're fighting - either to make the team or for minutes"

Isiah Thomas is joining the Knicks Board of Directors

Kevin Knox on the Knicks’ championship: “It was amazing. A lot of people are still on the staff that were with me when I was a rookie so seeing them celebrating and posting the champagne definitely made me happy. Obviously wish I was there but it was a great moment.”

[SNY] Miles McBride: "At the end of the day, it's a business. At the end of the day, I'm paid to play a game I love and I get an opportunity to go out there. Whoever I'm out there with, I want to give it my all."

Karl-Anthony Towns: “Is my way the most glamorous way of doing it in the world, especially in the social media world? Absolutely not, because everyone wants instant validation, everyone wants instant gratification. But it is true in the long run, the good guys always win.”

Victor Wembanyama says he's had several nights where it's been hard to sleep since losing to the Knicks in the NBA Finals: "Hard emotions, haunting sometimes...you have to feel all of it"

[Bondy] Knicks are asking KAT to take a discount from his max. They're close to second apron and Brunson is eligible for big extension next year. It's a matter of how much of a discount KAT would be willing to take. Given Shams report, it's clear he's unwilling to take what Knicks are offering

[Begley] SNY sources: big man Drew Eubanks is signing with the Knicks on a camp deal and will be competing for a roster spot.

Jalen Brunson will be the host of Saturday Night Live’s Season 52 premiere on September 26th

[Begley] Dillon Jones, whom Mike Brown leaned on for advice throughout the Knicks’ title run, has signed a camp deal with Philadelphia, per the team. Jones and Ariel Hukporti could be back at the Garden with the Sixers on Ring Night (10/20)

[Windhorst] “The Clippers were guilty of the same thing that the Nets were. They had little brother syndrome. They were so focused on not being the little brother anymore that they took way too big of gambles… both teams were chasing [The Lakers & Knicks]

[Begley] Per SNY sources, guard-forward John Konchar and forward-center Drew Eubanks are among the players on New York’s radar as we draw closer to training camp.

[New York Knicks] Karl-Anthony Towns in the 2026 playoffs: 55.1 FG% 45.6 3P% 90.9 FT%

[Road Trippin] Jalen Brunson: “We have all these people telling us how great we are, we won in New York and everyone in New York is up on their high horse, everyone saying the best things about us even though middle of the year they were probably saying the worst as well when we were 2-9.”

[Oladipo] I don’t know how my journey here is going to end...Maybe a team out there will give me a chance. Maybe no team will. That’s really up to you all. But if you’re in an NBA front office, and you took the time to read this: Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

[Boardroom] Kevin Durant on the best team he’s played for: “Just looking at straight roster, I would say Brooklyn…I know people are gonna wanna say the Warriors but Klay and Draymond didn’t have the accolades at that time. They were like 1 time All Stars.”