Karl Towns not surprised by rookie success, primed to become the best player in the NBA

Karl Towns met with reporters this morning at the Joe Craft Center during a break in his Rookie of the Year camp to discuss his incredible first year in the league and what lies ahead. Karl finished his first season in Minnesota averaging 18.3 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 1.68 blocks, incredible numbers that made him only the fifth unanimous winner of the Rookie of the Year award in NBA history. Those stats are staggering, but Karl told the media this morning that his first-year success didn't surprise him one bit.

"No, not at all. I knew what I did in those hours were people were asleep. I knew what I did when those people were eating dinner, where I was. I understood the amount of work I put in to my craft. I trusted it. I had no thoughts of anything else I could have done better. I felt I gave every ounce of sweat, effort, every single part of me to my rookie season."

In fact, Karl being Karl, he thinks he could have done even better last year.

"I’m actually surprised I didn’t do better. I felt I had a lot left that I could have done. I felt that my expectations are even higher than that."

With that kind of attitude and work ethic, the sky's the limit for Karl, and when asked if he believes he can be the best player in the NBA some day, he gave another confident, yet humble, reply.

"I do. I honestly do. I have the confidence in myself, I have everything I need to do it. Now it’s all up to me to execute. Everyone in the NBA has the ability to do that. We all have the ability to be the best player in the world. It just matters who puts more time who puts more work in and who’s fortunate enough to make it happen in the right situation. I feel that Minnesota right now puts me in the right situation in all of the NBA."

We've been blessed with some great players in the program's long and storied history, but Kentucky Basketball may have no better ambassador than Karl Towns. Kid is special.