Karl Towns Jr.

McDonald’s All-American Recap:

Towns showed great upside. He’s 6-11 with perimeter skills, a wide body to grab rebounds, and excellent court vision.

Offensively, Towns showcased range to the 3-point line, to go along with an impressive back-to-the-basket game. He can finish over either shoulder in the paint, but he also sees the floor very well. He can pass facing the basket or out of a double team in the low post. Against the 7-foot Myles Turner in practice, Towns called for the ball and executed a hook shot in the low post on one possession, then stepped out for a foul-line jumper on the next. He flashed the entire spectrum of his potential right there.

He can shoot and pass like a wing player, but he’s 6-foot-11. Towns’ upside is intriguing to say the least. He will need to continue working on his post game at Kentucky, but Towns’ upside is as high as any player in the class.

McDonald’s All-American Preview:

Towns is 6-11 with the face-up skills of a small forward. He’s a stretch-5, reminiscent of Pau Gasol.

He has a soft touch facing up in the paint, with range to the 3-point line. Great passer facing the basket and can pass it out of a double team in the low post. When I saw Towns at the HoopHall Classic in January, he converted several counter-moves in both face-up and back-to-the-basket situations, scoring 21 points on 9-12 shooting. Nimble footwork, polished with either hand, great vision from the post, and a capable shot blocker.

That being said, Towns is a poor defender at this point. He gambles for blocks and doesn’t move that well laterally. I’ve only seen him once, but he let a sophomore score 23 points and grab 6 rebounds on him. Towns needs to show up for a full 32 minutes—namely, rebounding with conviction, defending for entire possessions, and embracing contact on both ends of the floor.

His natural gifts are nonetheless very intriguing. Again, I’m going off a one-game sample size. But if Towns can become more physical on both ends, he will be able to maximize his vast offensive arsenal.

HoopHall Classic 2014 (Springfield, MA): Towns’ blend of great size and soft touch was unparalleled Sunday. He executed several counter-moves in both face up and back-to-the-basket sets, showcasing an advanced offensive arsenal en route to scoring 21 points on 9-12 FG. Sound footwork, good scoring instincts, underrated passing vision from the post, and a capable shot blocker.

All that being said, though, Towns struggled pretty badly at times. Dematha sophomore Joe Hampton scored 23 points and grabbed six rebounds against Towns, beating Towns off the dribble with a quick first step. Most concerning though, Towns surrendered rebounds to less talented guys who simply wanted it more.

I’d also like to see Towns play with a fire in his belly—Hampton is a sophomore, yet Towns never imposed his will. Overall, Towns is extraordinarily polished for a high school player, but I’m waiting for the physicality to develop. You can’t avert contact at the next level.