New York Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns has always been criticized and called “soft.” However, Towns is proving the doubters wrong in his first season with the Knicks. Although he still relies on his outside stroke, he’s put in so much work inside, asserting his presence whenever he gets the chance. On Monday, former NBA player Chandler Parsons complimented the big man for the work he’s put in.
On the recent episode of FanDuel TV’s “Run It Back,” Parsons did not hesitate to compare KAT to his former teammate and Dallas Mavericks legend, Dirk Nowitzki. According to him, the two big men play a similar brand of basketball and shouldn’t be labeled as “soft.”
Parsons pointed out that the two players use a combination of skill and talent, which separates them from traditional frontcourt players. However, they are in no way soft.
“There’s a big difference in being super skilled and a jump shooting big, and being soft,” Parsons said.
“Dirk [Nowitzki]… he wasn’t soft, he was just extremely talented offensively and wasn’t like a physical banger. He was a fadeaway, pick and pop guy. That is who KAT is.
“When he shows that toughness and when he dives on the floor and he’s getting into it, I love to see that. ‘Cause now, he’s doing both,” he continued.
Dirk 🤝🏾 KAT
Do you agree with @ChandlerParsons that KAT is similar to Dirk in play style? A shooting big man, but still tough?@MichelleDBeadle | @ChandlerParsons | @TeamLou23 pic.twitter.com/LHpnzysKG5
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) April 29, 2025
Parsons explained that the physical work KAT has been doing in the New York Knicks’ series against the Detroit Pistons shows a different side of him. Despite the tough, physical demands of battling against the Pistons’ Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart.
“He’s so much more skilled, he’s so much more talented and he’s such a great outside shooter, he’s got such a good handle for a big. I think that’s where the term soft comes from.”
The New York Knicks had a controversial non-call against the Pistons in Game 4
In Game 4, the New York Knicks came away with a close 94-93 victory. However, it was revealed by the officials that Knicks’ Josh Hart made marginal contact with Tim Hardaway Jr., who attempted a potential game-winning 3-pointer. During the game, no official blew the whistle, and the foul was not called.
During the postgame, the referees confirmed they failed to call a foul on Hart.
“Hart makes body contact to Hardaway Jr. during his shooting motion that is more than marginal,” the report reads.
It would’ve gotten Hardaway to shoot three shots from the free-throw line. The New York Knicks have a chance to close the series on Tuesday at Madison Square Garden as they hold a 3-1 lead.
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Reign also writes NBA and WNBA news updates on Sportskeeda. He started as a feature writer for AirAlamo, an NBA website that covers the San Antonio Spurs. Some of his work can also be seen on Valley of the Suns, a Phoenix Suns-centric website, where he served as a contributing writer.
