Karl-Anthony Towns’ original NBA employers proved kind to Minnesota during the New York Knicks’ long-awaited visit to Target Center.

Ahead of the decision between the Knicks and the Minnesota Timberwolves, the hosts on Thursday treated the returning Towns to a tribute video commemorating his nine seasons in Minneapolis. Thursday marked the first meeting between the Knicks and Wolves since a late-season trade sent Towns to Manhattan, where he received a package that included Donte DiVincenzo and Julius Randle in return.

The subsequent video, which can be viewed on the Timberwolves’ social media channels here, featured unforgettable moments such as his arrival from Kentucky at the top of the 2015 draft, his 60-point game against San Antonio in March 2022, his triumph in the … 3-point contest that same year and of course his trip to last year’s Western Conference Finals this past spring. Towns left Minnesota at or near the top in almost every major statistical category and he has lived up to every expectation the Knicks had for him.

After the video was shown on the Target Center video boards, Towns was warmly cheered by the Minnesotans gathered for the game as he was introduced with the rest of the Knicks’ starting five.

In addition to recognizing Towns’ accomplishments on the court, the Timberwolves also aired a video about his accomplishments and community affairs during one of the first timeouts. The video can be viewed here (h/t Timberwolves Clips).

Towns had six rebounds and three points and assists each, but the Timberwolves led the Knicks 33-32 after the first quarter. Randle came through strong for the hosts, scoring almost half of their points with 15 points.

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