Karl-Anthony Towns Brings Dominican Pride to the Knicks

The love of family, culture, and basketball runs deep through Karl-Anthony Towns’ veins. The New York Knicks’ newest star carries these treasures from his late mother Jacqueline Cruz, who surrounded him with Dominican traditions during his New Jersey upbringing. By age 16, Towns was already representing the Dominican Republic on their national basketball team, a testament to his early embrace of his heritage.

The loss of his mother to Covid-19 in 2020 left an indelible mark on Towns, but her teachings about love continue to guide him. “I think it’s just more of the love,” Towns reflects. “The word love, the way she taught me the word love, the way she made me truly understand what that word means and how to live it.” As the second Latino ever selected first overall in the NBA Draft in 2015, Towns has never shied away from celebrating his roots. “It’s my culture,” Towns emphasizes. “It’s how I grew up. Being Latino, having my family from the Dominican Republic around me my whole entire childhood I really just grew in the culture. And it allowed me to experience love firsthand.”

His connection to the Dominican Republic extends beyond mere words. Through his work with World Youth Club and his local church, Towns actively supports the community that shaped him. “We’re doing a bunch of amazing things that are going to help a tremendous amount of kids,” he shares. “And (it will) allow us to not only inspire the next generation but give the generation the resources needed to accomplish their dreams.”

The 7-foot powerhouse has built an impressive NBA resume over his first nine seasons, including four All-Star selections, Rookie of the Year honors, and two All-NBA team nods. His recent trade to the Knicks has energized both the team and New York’s Dominican community, with Towns averaging an impressive 24.9 points and 12.3 rebounds in his first nine games.The move to New York has caught the attention of prominent Dominican figures in sports, including former MLB executive Omar Minaya. “I think it’s great for basketball,” Minaya says. “Basketball is such a growing sport. It’s great to have Karl-Anthony Towns, who is not only very proud to be Dominican but also just a great kid. It just creates and gives Dominican kids the opportunity of having new heroes to be seen in a very big market.”

For Towns, his success carries a responsibility to inspire the next generation of Dominican athletes. “I’m just kind of paying it forward for the people who set up this opportunity for me,” he declares. “Al Horford, Jack Michael Martinez, Edgar Sosa, James Feldeine, all these amazing Dominicans have shown me that this dream was possible.”

As Towns lights up Madison Square Garden in Knicks orange and blue, he’s doing more than just putting up impressive numbers – he’s carrying forward a legacy of Dominican excellence and his mother’s enduring lesson about love. His presence in the Big Apple isn’t just about basketball; it’s about representation, inspiration, and the power of cultural pride in America’s most diverse city.