What a difference a year makes for Karl-Anthony Towns' All-Star vote
Share and Follow

OKLAHOMA CITY — Karl-Anthony Towns’ market bump in the All-Star voting didn’t go unnoticed by his teammate.

Josh Hart pointed out the contrast between New York and Minnesota to Karl-Anthony Towns (KAT) on Friday morning before the Knicks played the Thunder. He highlighted a significant difference, saying, “Difference of a million.”

Towns, who had 17 points and 22 rebounds in the loss, received roughly 1.1 million votes in the first returns of the fan All-Star ballot, the third-highest in the East behind just Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jayson Tatum.


Karl-Anthony Towns looks to make a move during the Knicks' 117-107 loss to the Thunder on Jan. 3, 2025.
Karl-Anthony Towns looks to make a move during the Knicks’ 117-107 loss to the Thunder on Jan. 3, 2025. Getty Images

Last year with the Timberwolves, Towns only accumulated just 139,642 votes in the first round of fan voting.

So it’s not quite a million, but close enough.

“Geographical differences,” Towns, a four-time All-Star but never a starter, answered Hart.

The other difference is Towns’ statistics have skyrocketed this season with the Knicks, where he entered Friday on pace to average a career-high in rebounds (13.7), field-goal percentage (54.8 percent), 3-point percentage (44 percent) and hit his highest points per game output (24.9) since pre-pandemic.

But as Towns enjoys a big-market leap, Jalen Brunson remained curiously underappreciated by the fans with just 477,253 votes — good for seventh in the East and roughly half the total for LaMelo Ball.



Fan voting ends Jan. 20.

Brunson finished ninth in the East last year but was named a reserve. Assuming he doesn’t crack the top-2 in fan voting for the East backcourt, Brunson can still theoretically nab a starting spot by winning the votes from coaches and players (they account for 25 percent apiece, while fan voting is 50 percent).

Either way, the Knicks, riding a nine-game winning streak heading into Friday’s marquee showdown against the Thunder, are expected to get two All-Stars.


Karl-Anthony Towns bulls past Kenrich Williams during the Knicks' loss to the Thunder.
Karl-Anthony Towns bulls past Kenrich Williams during the Knicks’ loss to the Thunder. AP

At least.

They have three other potential candidates in the starting lineup but Josh Hart, who leads the team in triple-doubles, scoffed at his candidacy.

“I can get an All-Star? Hell no,” he said. “I feel like [coaches] appreciate what I do but like I said, my game is not glitz and glamour that breeds that kind of accolade. And I’m fine with that. I’m a servant to these guys [Brunson, Towns, Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby]. I want to make sure they’re good. I want them to get the accolades.”

Hart also has tropical plans for All-Star weekend, which is being held this year in San Francisco.

“I want to have my toes touch some sand come February,” he said, adding that an All-Star nod would nonetheless “be amazing for me and role players.

He has a vote from Towns.

“Josh Hart for All-Star,” the center said. “I want his weekend ruined.”

Share and Follow
You May Also Like
Miss Universe: Fatima Bosch of Mexico crowned winner in glittering finale of scandal-hit pageant

Fatima Bosch of Mexico Triumphs as the New Miss Universe Amidst Controversy at Glamorous Pageant Finale

In a dramatic turn of events, Fátima Bosch from Mexico has been…
Past of 'mother and businesswoman' whose ICE arrest outraged liberals

Background of ‘Mother and Entrepreneur’ Whose ICE Detention Stirred Liberal Outrage

Amidst a wave of liberal outcry, the deportation of a Vietnamese mother…
Who Is Manousos on ‘Pluribus’? Meet Carlos-Manuel Vesga

Introducing Manousos on ‘Pluribus’: Get to Know Carlos-Manuel Vesga

Four episodes into the Apple TV series Pluribus, viewers find themselves immersed…
Lawmakers sound alarm on ‘deadliest place on earth to be a Christian’ as Nigeria violence escalates

Escalating Violence in Nigeria Raises Concerns for Christian Safety, Say Lawmakers

The U.S. House Subcommittee on Africa convened on Thursday to discuss the…
Grammy-winning artist from famed hip-hop group jailed for 14 years

Grammy-Winning Hip-Hop Artist Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison

A Grammy-winning musician has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for…
SEE IT: Suspected drunken driver's wrong-way head-on crash caught on deputy's dashboard camera

Watch: Deputy’s Dashcam Captures Wrong-Way Collision Involving Alleged Drunk Driver

A harrowing scene unfolded on a highway south of Story City, Iowa,…
Woman charged in man's fatal stabbing outside upscale Long Island yacht club

Woman Faces Charges in Fatal Stabbing Incident Outside Prestigious Long Island Yacht Club

New York authorities have apprehended a 33-year-old woman linked to the violent…
Free roadside assistance in Florida? Road Rangers gear up for Thanksgiving travel

Florida’s Road Rangers Ready to Offer Complimentary Help for Thanksgiving Travelers

As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, travel across Florida’s highways is ramping up,…