NBA ALL-STAR MEDIA DAY

February 19, 2022

Karl-Anthony Towns

Media Day Press Conference

KARL-ANTHONY TOWNS: I feel like a different player than I was my first All-Star game, my second All-Star game. I think I relied so much on my athleticism and youthfulness that sometimes I put smarts and intelligence to the side, and I made it work. It got the job done, but it didn't need to be that difficult. So as I got older, I learned with experience how to use my energy with more quality than quantity.

Q. Do you feel with more experience the game slows down a bit?

KARL-ANTHONY TOWNS: The game definitely slows down. I just think that just with experience everything works a little different. You're a better shooter. Just know how to get to spots differently. You know how to use less energy to get the same job done that you used to use three times the energy for. Just a lot different. Footwork becomes more important.

So just feel like for me I just grew as a player. Got more adjusted. Game slowed down. Got smarter. Got better. Got stronger. A lot of things happen with time. I'm just happy that I've been able to adjust with it.

Q. Are you experiencing things differently? Just the overall vibe of being around the guys and stuff, is that different from the first time and second time?

KARL-ANTHONY TOWNS: It's different. I think it's different because from the standpoint -- two standpoints. One, you know, you're just used to it. You're used to it, where the same nervous energy and the same anxiety and all that stuff that was coming in, you are trying to prove yourself and stuff, you don't have that kind of feeling anymore. You already know you deserve to be in the locker room, and it's like a locker room you should be expected to be in. So I think that changes from your first time here to now.

And also, just used to doing this. It's not new to me. It's not foreign. It's a blessing to say that. I'm just really happy to be here, really happy to represent the Wolves and my teammates and hopefully come out with some dubs this weekend as well.

Q. Were there days that you wondered if this was going to happen again, or was it out of your mind completely about doing something like this again?

KARL-ANTHONY TOWNS: No, I knew what I could do. I know the product I can produce on the court. I have complete confidence in the work I put in. I know how many hours I put in. I think the work I put into my craft and my game is second to none in this league.

So I know how hard I work. I know what I can do. I never thought this is something that is out of the ordinary. I knew if I could stay healthy, I would be at the All-Star Game every year. I think last two years I didn't make it was literally because of injuries. So no injuries, I'm in a good spot.