NBA analyst Charles Barkley is known for his unfiltered takes, and he certainly didn't pulled any punches when it came to recently describing Karl-Anthony Towns's play for the New York Knicks.
During a TV segment that aired Friday night, Barkley delivered a direct critique of the veteran big man, stating that Towns "doesn't know how to play basketball" while the crew examined KAT's recent output.
New York entered the weekend with a 35-21 record, good for second in the Atlantic Division and fourth in the Eastern Conference. Yet the Knicks dropped their third straight game to the Detroit Pistons on Thursday, falling 126-111 at Madison Square Garden and finishing 0-3 against them in the regular season. Towns has faced increased scrutiny in those matchups and throughout February, with reduced minutes in some closing stretches due to defensive concerns.
The 30-year-old center entered Saturday averaging 19.8 points, 11.9 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game, all down from his 2024-25 totals with the Knicks.
Towns earned his eighth All-Star nod despite the statistical dip and occasional defensive shortcomings that have led to reduced closing minutes. Towns has posted multiple 20-rebound games and remains one of the league's top rebounders, but scoring efficiency and consistency have drawn criticism.
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