Knicks head coach Mike Brown doesn’t see Karl-Anthony Towns’ All-Star candidacy as a debate — not even close.
There is “no question,” Brown said, that Towns belongs in the Eastern Conference’s All-Star field, even amid what some might label a down season by the center’s lofty standards. For a Knicks team firmly in the mix for the No. 1 seed, Brown views Towns as an automatic selection.
“KAT’s averaging a double-double. He’s over 20 points a game and over 10 rebounds a game,” Brown said. “And if you’re a top-3 team in either conference and you’re the second-leading scorer — [and] the leading rebounder — you’re an All-Star. There’s no question about it. The only question is: Is he First, Second or Third Team All-NBA, you know?”
Towns, a five-time All-Star, averaged 24.4 points on 52.6 percent shooting from the field and 42 percent from three-point range last season — his first in New York following the blockbuster trade that sent Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo to Minnesota. This season, his first under Brown, the numbers look different. Towns is shooting under 50 percent from the field for just the third time in his 11-year career. His field goal attempts have dipped from 16.9 per game to 15.5. And the big man who considers himself the greatest shooting center in NBA history is posting his worst three-point percentage since his rookie year.
Those statistical shifts have fueled skepticism elsewhere.
A December ESPN report left Towns off its list of “near-locks” to make the 2026 Eastern Conference All-Star roster — a group that included Jalen Brunson alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo, Cade Cunningham, Jalen Duren, Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Maxey and Donovan Mitchell. Towns was also omitted from ESPN’s “on-the-bubble” list, which instead featured Bam Adebayo, Scottie Barnes, Josh Giddey, Brandon Ingram, Jalen Johnson, Evan Mobley, Norman Powell and Franz Wagner.
The result: Toronto, Cleveland and Miami each projected for two All-Stars apiece, while New York — despite owning a better record — was slotted for just one.
Brown wasn’t buying it.
“I could go on and on about the positives that [KAT] has had so far on this team to where he’s already an All-Star. That’s not even a question,” Brown said. “It’s First, Second, or Third Team, even with his numbers sitting where they are because of where we’re sitting as a team, the success we’re having, and him leading us in rebounding and second in scoring.”
If Towns’ early-season adjustment period raised eyebrows, Brown suggested it was always part of the plan. The first-year Knicks coach warned during the offseason that sweeping changes to both offensive and defensive schemes would come with a learning curve — and that no player would feel it more than Towns.
“So I’m not looking at it at all because KAT’s having a fantastic year, especially too based on him having to know all five positions,” Brown said. “He’s had the highest learning curve over anybody on our team, and he’s done a fantastic job just getting better every single day. He’s second in double digit rebounds behind Jokic by a couple of games.”
Brown also pointed to a ripple effect: Towns’ willingness to adapt has opened doors for others. Miles McBride is enjoying a breakout offensive season. Josh Hart is shooting a career-best from three. Mikal Bridges has seen increased touches. OG Anunoby could be knocking on the door of a first All-Star nod.
“The way we play, it’s more of an equal-opportunity offense,” Brown said. “The ball’s moving. Bodies are moving. We try to touch the paint, getting ball reversals, and it’s shown in other guy’s numbers going up. And so, you’re only going to score so many points a game because there’s only so many touches. So it’s all gonna balance out.”
Inside the locker room, Towns’ approach hasn’t gone unnoticed. He’s resisted the urge to force shots to manufacture rhythm, opting instead to live with lower scoring nights if it means staying within the flow — and winning.
“He’s trying his best not to force things. I know sometimes when you’re a gifted scorer like he is, you are used to having certain plays for him to get to the low block, or pop three or get a curl and stuff like that,” Josh Hart said. “It’s challenging and frustrating when you are not always getting those, and you are trying to find it in the flow of the offense and not trying to disrupt it. So, first you have to give him credit for that. I think he’s trying to find his spots and those kind of things. He’s gotten better, and he’s got a lot more room to grow, and I think that’s scary for some people because he’s still playing at a high level.”
Towns, who owns career averages of 23 points, 11 rebounds and 3.2 assists, has made three All-NBA Third Teams and earned All-Star honors in three of the past four seasons — including his first career start last year.
For Brunson, Towns’ sacrifice speaks louder than any shooting percentage.
“I feel like all of us at some point in some way, all of us on this team have to be willing to sacrifice. Each sacrifice means something different, so not everyone’s sacrifice is the same,” Brunson said. “So KAT being able to embrace that just shows you the type of person he is, the type of player he is, and he helps our team win.”
