ATLANTA, GA - NOVEMBER 09: Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the Minnesota Timberwolves reacts after hitting a basket against the Atlanta Hawks at Philips Arena on November 9, 2015 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Minnesota Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns missed the first two games of his career after the All-Star break because of a highway crash.
On Thursday, Towns and T-Wolves assistant strength and conditioning coach Kurt Joseph were at a complete stop when they were struck from behind by a semi-truck going an estimated 35 to 45 mph. When reflecting on the February 21 crash, Towns claims he’s “lucky to be alive.”
“I would say I had a 5 percent chance of making it out alive,” Towns said about the accident. “I hit the 5 percent mark. And then, I’d say 4 percent was to be seriously injured, and 1 percent was to be minorly injured. And I came out in the 1 percent, so it’s not bad.”
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“It’s been a blessed three days,” he went on, “just to be here talking to you all, to be able to do what I’m doing, is a blessing.”
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Towns started 303 consecutive games before he was held out against the New York Knicks on Friday due to league concussion protocol. The streak was the longest to start a career since the 1970-71 season.
On Friday, interim head coach Ryan Saunders said that Towns was involved in the accident while headed to the airport to travel to New York and take on the Knicks. Towns said the accident “could have been much worse.” He added, “In all honesty, I probably should not have made it out like I did. It was pretty gnarly, I ain’t gonna lie.”
In his first game back, Towns recorded 34 points and 21 rebounds in a dominant Monday night win 112-105 win over the Sacramento Kings. The 7-footer earned his second All-Star nod this season after averaging 23.1 points, 12 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game this season. Minnesota is just four games removed from the No. 8 seed, largely because of Towns.
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