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Knicks’ All-Star center opens up about criticism for lack of defense

Originally posted on Empire Sports Media
By Dylan Backer | Last updated Sep 17, 2025 11:16 AM ET

New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns is one of the most gifted players in the league. However, defense has been the one area he has been criticized for the most.

Knicks’ Karl-Anthony Towns speaks on defensive criticism

Towns does not profile as a very strong defender. In fact, he was statistically one of the worst defenders in the league at his position. He had just a 112.7 defensive rating last season, and he struggled mightily with foul trouble often.

In fact, the struggles were so paramount that they moved him to the power forward position and started Mitchell Robinson at center during the Eastern Conference Finals. The move was made in an attempt to improve the paint defense.

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In a recent interview with TIME Magazine’s Sean Gregory, Towns opened up about the criticism he has faced for his defensive problems.

“All criticism is good criticism,” Towns said. “It gives me a chance to go back in the lab and then understand what I’ve got to work on. Every year, I’ve shown the fans and the sports world and NBA world that I’m always continuing to find another level, reinventing myself for the betterment of the team’s success. And I’m going to continue to do that until I have the ring.”

Towns will hope to make a bigger impact defensively next season

Towns has never been known to be a strong defender during his 10-year career. His offense is truly one of a kind and is arguably the greatest shooting big man the league has ever seen, but most teams want their seven-footers to be impactful defensively as well.

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It is still unclear if new head coach Mike Brown will revert to using Towns at center or use Robinson at the five alongside Towns. Regardless of what decision is made, the Knicks will hope that Towns can be more disciplined on that end of the floor, which will hopefully lead to better team results on the court.

The Knicks open their preseason in approximately two weeks when they take on the Philadelphia 76ers in Abu Dhabi on Oct. 2. As the season goes on, Towns will hope to improve defensively and help lead the team to its ultimate goal, which is to win a championship.

This article first appeared on Empire Sports Media and was syndicated with permission.

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