Latest news with #Karl-AnthonyTowns
The Guardian
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
‘Why are you so damn gay?': the public policing of Karl-Anthony Towns' joy
The first time I danced was with my father. I plucked my bare feet onto his work boots, to my mother's distress, and let his rubber soles guide me into a groove. Hand in hand, we spun through the kitchen as Al Green's Love and Happiness christened my rhythm's baptism. The second time I danced was with myself – and it would be my last. I wrapped my arms around the fleshy part of my waist as Seal's Kiss from a Rose played from the Batman Forever CD in my stereo. Alone in my room, I was OK with the mirror seeing every part of me. I danced like Shirley Temple with Buddy Ebsen. Like my father guided me. The only thing that could have broken my rhythm did. My stepmother filled the doorway, barefoot except for a roach she had stepped on. 'Why are you so damn gay?' That question didn't land as curiosity. It landed as a sentence – as instruction. From that moment on, joy had to pass inspection before it could be expressed. A decade later, in a different home and a different neighborhood, I stood over a sink, washing someone else's blood off my hands – still shaking from having fought my way out of being jumped. I wasn't just cleaning up. I was trying to scrub away any lingering doubt about my masculinity. This essay is about what happens when boys who move freely are taught to fear their own rhythm – and what it means when grown men like Karl-Anthony Towns are mocked for keeping theirs. Confusion, softness and the urge to question societal norms are beaten out of all of us – but especially out of young boys of color in dangerous neighborhoods. It's as if the praxis of masculinity demands violence as the antidote to vulnerability. Even laughter had rules. You couldn't let it be too high-pitched. Too quick. You learned to clap shoulders, not hold hands. I didn't immediately reconcile my behavior with its double, but I spent my adolescence trying to prove my stepmom wrong. Since moving from Minnesota to New York, expectations for former No 1 draft pick Karl-Anthony Towns have increased on all fronts. In New York, the world's largest media market, scrutiny moves faster than any headline – amplified by the virality of social media. Towns is discovering what happens when softness is punished, when queerness is projected, and when public figures become unwilling avatars in culture wars over masculinity. The term 'zesty', a softened descendant of homophobic slang, became Towns' shadow. It trailed him through every three-point play, podcast outtake and postgame moment. He became the target for people eager to mock what they couldn't define. In Hilton Als's The Women, he recalls being called an 'auntie man' – a Barbadian phrase for a queer man, used with equal parts derision and familiarity. For Als, the term was both burden and lens – a way to understand how femininity in male bodies disturbs cultural norms. Towns, in his gestures and tones, touched that nerve – not by coming out, but by refusing to contort himself into the rigid, humorless frame of what a man in sports is supposed to be. Towns is far from alone. Figures like Tyler, the Creator, Russell Westbrook and Odell Beckham Jr have also been queer-coded and mocked online – not for coming out, but for expressing aesthetic freedom that unsettles traditional expectations of Black masculinity. Reading Als, I realized I wasn't just haunted by my stepmother's question. I was haunted by the idea that my joy, softness and rhythm might be interpreted the same way – that to some, my way of moving through the world would always be 'off'. Homophobia today isn't what it was in the 1990s, when the idea of a gay NBA player sparked outrage. American culture has shifted. Most people – not just millennials – know someone who is openly gay. Even baby boomers often count LGBTQ+ individuals among their friends or family. This broader familiarity has normalized queerness – but mostly white, heteronormative queerness. During his presidency, Donald Trump welcomed 'Gays for Trump', revealing how sexuality has become more complicated in modern politics, so long as it's white and votes red. But in sports, John Amaechi and Jason Collins remain punchlines. Dwight Howard was the most recent NBA player to be publicly dissected for his queer preferences. His situation involved layers of moral, legal and consensual complexity, but the cultural judgment echoed the same old anxieties. Towns is ostensibly straight. He's in a public relationship with Jordyn Woods. But his moments of effeminacy have gone viral on TikTok, trickling down through Twitter and into Facebook echo chambers. Many cite his Dominican heritage – not as a direct link to queerness, but to the flamboyance, rhythm and emotional expressiveness embedded in that culture. And if he were gay or bi or queer, what exactly would that change? KAT is still a dawg. It's ironic that this ridicule came during the best season of his career. He averaged 24.7 points and a career-high 13.5 rebounds while leading the Knicks to their first Eastern Conference finals appearance in 25 years. He delivered signature performances, including back-to-back 40-point games and a playoff triple-double. His offensive dominance marked a personal and franchise turning point. But it wasn't enough. The online ridicule intensified, crystallizing into what became known as 'Zesty Karl-Anthony Towns', or Zesty KAT – a meme that painted the Knicks star as flamboyant or queer-coded based on voice, gesture and posture. The term resurfaced in 2024 after viral TikTok compilations dissected clips from his postgame interviews and on-court expressions, reigniting during the 2025 playoffs. One of the most viral examples came from X user @Zazamyodor, who quote-tweeted a clip of Towns softly saying 'for sure' with the caption, 'That 'for sure' was nasty work.' The post earned over 46,000 likes and helped cement 'zesty' as shorthand for mocking his style, despite his career peak. I still haven't danced like I did that first time, or even the second. But I think about it often: what it meant to be light on my feet, unburdened, joyful without explanation. What Karl-Anthony Towns is enduring isn't just a meme cycle. It's the same sentence I heard in my doorway, repackaged for likes and algorithm reach: 'Why are you so damn gay?' Not a question, an accusation. In this world, to be joyful in your body, to be expressive without apology, is still treated like defiance. Towns may not need to dance like I did. But every time he celebrates a three-pointer with flair, every time he speaks in a tone too tender for a seven-footer, he keeps the rhythm going for those of us who had ours interrupted.
Time of India
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Nick Wright explains why LeBron James-Karl-Anthony Towns trade can change game for New York Knicks
Sportscaster Nick Wright recently took part in an in-depth discussion surrounding LeBron James' next stop and shared his viewpoint. On his podcast, 'What's Wright? With Nick Wright', he elaborated on all the factors that work in the New York Knicks' favor if they choose to trade Karl-Anthony Towns for LeBron James. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now From cost factor to strengthening the team's defense, he shed light on all the positive things that can happen with the trade for the Knicks. Rumors about LeBron James leaving the Los Angeles Lakers are overflowing in NBA circles. Amidst these rumors, Wright's dissection of the LeBron-Towns trade can provide the Knicks the perspective they need to make a blockbuster trade decision. Nick Wright fans trade rumors with his dissection of LeBron James-Karl-Anthony Towns trade 'I don't think he finishes as a Laker' - Will LeBron request a trade from the Los Angeles Lakers? Retirement, player option, or new team? The buzz around LeBron James' next move refuses to slow down. Amidst all the murmur around the Los Angeles Lakers' superstar's future, Nick Wright has come up with his perspective. He elaborated on how the New York Knicks' decision to trade Karl-Anthony Towns for LeBron James can rejuvenate the organization. Talking about the pros, he said: 'The pros, in my opinion, are oddly by adding a guy in year 23, a 40 guy who's going to be 41, you actually get better defensively for two reasons. One is it's more Mitchell Robinson minutes instead of Town. So that's definitive, you know, that helps you a lot defensively. But also, as LeBron showed last year, once they got Luca, if he's not the primary offensive creator, he still has the ability to be a good, not great defender like he once was, but a good defender if that's where he can put his energy. ' He further said: 'The other sneaky pro for the Knicks is, do they actually want to move towns before he's he wants this next mega extension when they traded all those picks for Bridges and you're going to have to extend him and you've already extended OG and you're obviously in the Jaylen Brunson business.' LeBron James & Karl-Anthony Towns at play-in tournament (Image Source: Getty Images) He further continued, 'Like does the fact that LeBron would be short term act is that actually a positive because you don't want to you know have the big money associated with Carl Anthony Towns when there are, I think, legitimate real concerns of if our two best players are Brunson and Towns are we good enough defensively ever to win four rounds. I think those are all real, legitimate discussions.' Wright's thoughts largely revolved around the role LeBron can play in the New York Knicks, without the team needing to make a long-term commitment. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Also, moving Karl-Anthony Towns can help the Knicks manage costs, as they have already signed hefty deals with Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby, and Mikal Bridges, per Basketball Network. He further moved to how it is the right time to make the deal, as the trade leading to LeBron moving to an Eastern Conference team can improve the Knicks' chances to win the title after 52 years. Wright pinpointed, 'The Celtics are off the chessboard. The Pacers are off the chessboard, and the Bucks don't know where they are on the chessboard. We're already the favorites in the conference. We haven't won a championship in 52 years. What if we go for it (LeBron-Karl-Anthony trade)? It certainly is a worthy legitimate conversation, just like it.' Here is Wright's complete discussion: Nick Wright: Knicks should TRADE KAT to Lakers for LeBron James | What's Wright NBA In the discussion, Wright also pulled out LeBron James' longtime agent Rich Paul's statement to ESPN, where he explained LeBron's mindset for the coming season. Rich Paul had told ESPN, as per Shams Charania's report dated June 29, 2025: 'LeBron wants to compete for a championship. He knows the Lakers are building for the future. He understands that, but he values a realistic chance of winning it all. We are very appreciative of the partnership that we've had for eight years with [governor] Jeanie [Buss] and [general manager] Rob [Pelinka] and consider the Lakers as a critical part of his career. We understand the difficulty in winning now while preparing for the future. We do want to evaluate what's best for LeBron at this stage in his life and career. He wants to make every season he has left count, and the Lakers understand that, are supportive, and want what's best for him." So, the trick right now lies in finding the correct team for LeBron James, which can help him have a ring before he hangs up his sneakers. And currently, the best win-win situation is possible to achieve with the LeBron James-Karl-Anthony Towns trade. According to Wright, the only con of the trade will be LeBron's age, who will be playing his season 23, and is about ten years older than Karl-Anthony Towns. Also Read: If all factors as indicated by Wright are taken into consideration, James may consider exercising his player option and ask for a move to the Eastern Conference, with the New York Knicks as his next stop. Whether the trade will happen or not remains unclear till any negotiation moves are reported from either party.
Time of India
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Jordyn Woods and Karl-Anthony Towns enjoy romantic night out in Paris
Jordyn Woods has always supported Karl-Anthony Towns (Image via Instagram / @jordynwoods) NBA star Karl-Anthony Towns recently took his girlfriend, Jordyn Woods, to Paris for a romantic vacation. The 29-year-old player and his 27-year-old girlfriend were able to get a close-up look at Leonardo da Vinci's well-known painting Mona Lisa. In the photos from the trip, Jordyn Woods was seen wearing a white pantsuit. Jordyn Woods and Karl-Anthony Towns enjoy a romantic Paris getaway with a rare Mona Lisa moment Jordyn Woods uploaded some Instagram pictures on Sunday, July 6, about their visit to the Louvre Museum in Paris and wrote: "It's not everyday you get to see the Mona Lia this close!!!" In her Instagram carousel, she uploaded other images of her and her boyfriend standing directly next to the well-known artwork. They were pictured outside the museum in another photo. Jordyn Woods wore a white off-the-shoulder jumpsuit, while the player wore a white T-shirt and black shorts. After years of close friendship, the couple's romance bloomed in 2020. The model and the former Minnesota Timberwolves player met via a mutual friend years ago. However, they didn't start dating until May 2020. While talking about their relationship in her Instagram series, "Regular-ish', Jordyn Woods said: "I think it's kind of cool dating your best friend… We know each other. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Kein Schabernack: So kosten Treppenlifte fast nichts Treppenlift-Vergleich Mehr erfahren Undo We know each other's hearts. We know each other on good days and bad days and we've been through a lot of bad days together." They eventually made their relationship public in September 2020. In an Instagram post, the NBA player uploaded their photo. He wrote: 'There are darknesses in life and there are lights, and you are one of the lights, the light of all lights… I found you, then I found me.' Jordyn Woods and Karl-Anthony Towns are a happy couple (Image via Instagram / @jordynwoods) Karl-Anthony Towns has talked about his girlfriend on many occasions. Once he said: 'My love for her knows no bounds.. We know each other. We know each other's hearts. We know each other on good days and bad days, and we've been through a lot of bad days together.' Their connection is further demonstrated by the fact that they have been spotted wearing coordinated outfits and even collaborated on a commercial for Hidden Valley Ranch. Also read: Kevin Love reacts to three-team trade involving Miami Heat, Utah Jazz, and LA Clippers Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
New York Post
07-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Kendrick Perkins challenges Karl-Anthony Towns to drop 15 pounds: ‘You going to be ready'
Kendrick Perkins has a suggestion for Karl-Anthony Towns. The former NBA-veteran-turned-ESPN-analyst laid into the polarizing Knicks big during his 'Perk Unplugged' show by bluntly advising Towns. 'Karl-Anthony Towns, if I was you, I'd go lose me about 15 pounds… You get 15 pounds off of you, bro, and you stay consistent… It's going to be smoke. Boy, you going to be ready. I'm telling y'all, man. I'm looking forward,' Perkins said. Advertisement Karl-Anthony Towns Jason Szenes / New York Post Perkins stressed that shedding weight isn't just cosmetic, suggesting it could significantly enhance Towns' lateral quickness and on-ball defense under new coach Mike Brown, whom the Knicks hired earlier this week. Perkins argued that conditioning, not talent, remains the only thing holding KAT back defensively. Advertisement The former Celtic has expertise in this arena, given that he was listed between 270 to 280 pounds for the bulk of his NBA tenure. Kendrick Perkins looks on before Game 4 of the 2025 NBA Finals on June 13, 2025 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. NBAE via Getty Images Towns, who turns 30 in November, posted strong numbers in 2024–25, averaging 24.4 points and 12.8 rebounds per game across 72 regular-season outings, shooting 37.1 percent from three. But his defense remained a glaring weakness, especially in the playoffs, magnified in the Knicks' Eastern Conference Finals loss to the Indiana Pacers. Advertisement Towns averaged 21.4 points and 11.6 rebounds on 49 percent shooting and 35 percent from three during the playoffs. In his first year as a Knick, Towns was also named All-NBA for the third time in his career, and an All-Star for the fifth time. This past season, the Knicks finished just 14th in team defensive rating, their second-worst margin under former coach Tom Thibodeau.
Gulf Today
05-07-2025
- Sport
- Gulf Today
Abu Dhabi to host NBA pre-season games between Knicks and 76ers
The National Basketball Association (NBA) and the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) have announced that tickets for The NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2025 presented by ADQ will go on sale to the general public. The NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2025 presented by ADQ will feature the New York Knicks and the Philadelphia 76ers playing pre-season games on October 2 and 4 at Etihad Arena on Yas Island. The Knicks currently feature two-time NBA All-Star Jalen Brunson, five-time NBA All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns and 2022 NBA All-Defensive First Team member Mikal Bridges. Bridges and Brunson previously played in Abu Dhabi as members of the USA Basketball (USAB) Men's National Team prior to the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup. Towns participated in The NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2023 as a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves. The 76ers currently feature 2023 Kia NBA Most Valuable Player and seven-time NBA All-Star Joel Embiid, nine-time NBA All-Star Paul George and 2024 NBA All-Star Tyrese Maxey. Embiid previously played in Abu Dhabi as a member of the USAB Men's National Team prior to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. The NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2025 presented by ADQ will air live in the UAE, across the Middle East and around the world, reaching fans in more than 200 countries and territories on television, digital media and social media. The NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2025 presented by ADQ are part of a multiyear collaboration between the NBA and DCT Abu Dhabi that features preseason NBA Global Games, youth development programming that has reached nearly 20,000 participants since 2022, interactive fan events featuring appearances by current and former NBA and WNBA players, and NBA Cares clinics promoting health and wellness.
