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Karl-Anthony Towns delivers powerful message to 2025-26 Kentucky roster: 'Stay in the present'

Grant Grubbs Profile Pictureby: Grant Grubbs3 hours agogrant_grubbs_
Karl-Anthony Towns - Bruce Kluckhohn, Imagn Images
Karl-Anthony Towns - Bruce Kluckhohn, Imagn Images

On Friday, Karl-Anthony Towns was inducted into the University of Kentucky Athletics Hall of Fame. Ahead of the ceremony, Towns stopped in at a Kentucky basketball practice. While talking to the press, Towns revealed his message to the current Wildcats.

“Be in the present,” Towns said. “Let’s not kid ourselves, when you got Kentucky across your chest and you’re playing for the basketball team, you’re the rock stars of Lexington. You’re the most famous athletes and people in all of Lexington. So my advice to them was just try to make everyone proud. Show everyone what it truly means to be a Kentucky Wildcat. Treat everyone with respect. Have tremendous amounts of humility and appreciate this moment.

“Not many people get to call themselves a Kentucky Wildcat. Not many people get the chance to step into Rupp Arena and represent the crowd here and the amazing fan base we have here. I just wanted them to understand that it is one of the biggest honors you’ll receive in life to be able to call yourself a Wildcat.”

Towns only spent one season at Kentucky, but he clearly hasn’t forgotten his experience. In the 2015-16 season, Towns was the cornerstone of perhaps the most talented roster during the John Calipari era at Kentucky.

The roster, which utilized an innovative platoon system, included other stars such as Devin Booker, Willie Cauley-Stein, Trey Lyles and Tyler Ulis. Towns averaged 10.3 points and 6.7 rebounds in just 21.1 minutes per game for the Wildcats.

Towns led Kentucky to the Final Four, where the team ultimately fell in a stunning upset loss against Wisconsin. Although Towns couldn’t bring home national championship No. 9 to Lexington, he ultimately was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft.

He hasn’t disappointed in the pros. Karl-Anthony Towns is a five-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA selection and considered one of the best 3-point shooting big men of all time. Despite all of his accolades, Towns’ time at Kentucky still holds a special place in his heart.

“I want them to stay in the present,” Towns said of Kentucky’s current team. “Don’t worry about the future, don’t worry about the possible NBA and money and all that stuff. I just want them to live in the present and enjoy this moment. You may never be in another room with that much talent ever again. And if anyone could tell them that, I definitely can with our team.”