Karl-Anthony Towns' heartbreaking interview is an important lesson on grief
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The Minnesota Timberwolves’ Karl-Anthony Towns received the game ball after he scored 22 points with 11 rebounds and 7 assists in his team’s win over the Detroit Pistons on opening night.
It was Towns’ first official NBA game since he lost several members of his family, including his mother, to COVID-19 this year.
After the game, Towns gave a remarkably candid answer when speaking about how his mental approach to the game has played since the loss of his mother on April 13 of this year.
“I don’t even recognize most of my other games and years I’ve played and how I felt those days,” he said. “If I can be honest with y’all for a second, I mean, I don’t really recall or really care.
“I only know what happened from April 13 on. Because you may see me smiling and stuff, but that Karl died on April 13. He’s never coming back. I don’t remember that man. I don’t know that man. You’re talking to the physical me, but my soul has been killed off a long time ago.
“I want to answer your question,” he went on, “but that man you’re talking about from April 13 or before, I don’t know him. I don’t recall any parts of him.”
For many of us, I imagine, Towns’ response is a jarring, if not uncomfortable comment. But it’s also a startling and important reminder on grief — how it’s invisible, how even the most successful among us can carry it with them, always, a permanent weight and despair that can’t be shaken off. Rather, it has to be learned to be lived with.
Towns did his job well on Wednesday night, just as many people can and do who live with grief. We shouldn’t use those comments to cast aspersions about his commitment, or question his game. Rather, we should try to empathize, and admire the man — losing so much of his family changed him, and he’s still learning how to live in this new reality. That’s something we can all aspire to.
We’ll take tomorrow off from The Morning Win. Merry Christmas, everyone.