Nov 20, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau with center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) against the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

KAT-Tom Thibodeau relationship has 'grown' in New York since time with Wolves

Originally posted on Minnesota Timberwolves on SI
By Tony Liebert | Last updated Jan 4, 2025 4:03 PM ET

During his time with the Timberwolves, Karl-Anthony Towns was coached by Tom Thibodeau for three seasons from 2016 to 2019. A lot has changed since then, but they've been reunited with the New York Knicks and their relationship has seemingly never been better.

"No, he's different. He's a different man, I like this version going into 2025," Towns told the media earlier this week. "You’ve seen him smile. I’ll keep it at that. I think that we all in life, we grow. I’ve grown since the time when we were together in Minnesota. He’s grown. I think that we’re just, in this game of life, we’re just finding ourselves and getting better all the time."

Karl-Anthony Towns talks about Tom Thibodeau:

"He's a different man. I like this version going into 2025. You see him smile"

"I've grown since the time when we were together in Minnesota, he's grown. This game of life, we're just finding ourselves getting better with time" pic.twitter.com/mjtl8nAY3x
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) January 2, 2025

Towns was only in his second NBA season when the Wolves hired Thibodeau to be their new head coach. He had just seen the man who drafted him Flip Saunders pass away and it was a lot of change for KAT less than two years into his professional career.

KAT is having a tremendous start to his career with the Knicks this season. Through 33 games, he has averaged 24.7 points, a league-high 14.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game on 54.8/44.0/83.4 shooting splits. It's clear that both men have matured, as New York 24-11 and third in the Eastern Conference.

The Towns-Thibodeau-Jimmy Butler lasted only one full season in Minnesota. It was clear that all three never saw eye-to-eye completely and it's fun to look back what could've been. As we've seen now at multiple stops with Butler, it's far to speculate that he could've been the issue, as Towns and Thibodeau are playing winning basketball in New York.

Ultimately, if the last few seasons of Timberwolves basketball have taught us anything, it's the importance of team chemistry. You need your star players and head coach on the same page if you want to win in the NBA and it seems like they've figured that out in New York this season.

This article first appeared on FanNation All Timberwolves and was syndicated with permission.

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