Stephen A. Smith and Karl-Anthony Towns (Images Credit: Getty Images)
After spending his whole career with the Minnesota Timberwolves from his draft, Karl-Anthony Towns was recently traded to the New York Knicks. In his new role, the Knicks star has been making headlines, not just for his basketball skills but also for his opinions off the court. During an appearance on Shannon Sharpe’s podcast, “Club Shay Shay,” Towns stirred debate when he declared LeBron James as the GOAT over Michael Jordan.

Towns’ comments quickly made waves, especially among basketball fans who hold Michael Jordan in high regard. One of the most vocal critics of his statement was popular sports analyst Stephen A. Smith.

On the latest episode of his podcast, Smith took issue with Towns’ ranking of LeBron over Jordan. The popular analyst pointed out the historical context of Towns’ birth and Jordan’s legacy.

“Do you all know that Karl-Anthony Towns was born in 1995? MJ had 4 rings by then…MJ had four titles at the time Karl-Anthony Towns was born,” Smith said.

Karl-Anthony Towns excited to reunite with Tom Thibodeau

Karl-Anthony Towns is heading to his first season with the New York Knicks. While much of the team is new to him, there’s one familiar face in the organization—head coach Tom Thibodeau.

Towns and Thibodeau have a history, as Thibodeau was the Minnesota Timberwolves’ coach from 2017 to 2019. It has given Towns a bit of a comfort zone heading into this new chapter. Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Towns shared how reuniting with Thibodeau might give him an advantage as he adjusts to the Knicks’ system.

“I think it gives us a little bit of a head start. I know the offense he likes to run, I know the way he likes to play defense and what he expects from his players,” KAT said.

The Knicks will kick off their season against the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday. Towns is expected to make his debut for the Knicks in their season opening game.