Minnesota Timberwolves big man Karl-Anthony Towns went through a lot over the past year and a half, dealing with the deaths of his mother, his uncle, and a number of other family members during the COVID-19 pandemic, and even tested positive himself last season.
During that ordeal, Towns reportedly considered taking an indefinite leave of absence from basketball, according to Sports Illustrated’s Michael Pina.
Per the report: “There were days when being around teammates carried him. Basketball felt like it could provide a blip of relief. There were others when he thought about stepping away and giving himself space to mourn. “[My mother] made basketball fun for me my whole entire life,” Towns says. “She made it where I wanted to even do this. So for me, I was like, [There’s] too much on my mind. I’m not, I can’t, nah, I can’t.””
Towns ultimately returned to the team last season and seems primed for an improved 2021-2022 season.
