Karl-Anthony Towns was born in New Jersey, attended college in Kentucky and spent his entire NBA career in Minnesota.
However, his roots lie in the Dominican Republic. And to continue paying tribute to his late mother’s home country, Towns announced plans Thursday to help build a state-of-the-art basketball training center in that country, one where youth will receive top-notch coaching and access to physical therapy, classrooms, meeting space and more .
Groundbreaking in Santiago, Dominican Republic, is scheduled for next year, with plans for completion in 2026.
“I’ve been fortunate to live the American dream,” said Towns, the four-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA selection who is about to enter his 10th professional season, all with the Timberwolves. “But for me, because I have a different set of eyes, seeing it through my mother’s eyes and what she had to do to really feel like an American, I wanted to take the resources that we have here and give kids the opportunity to have the best equipment and the best possible opportunities to not only earn money for their family, but also to pursue their dreams.”
Jacqueline Cruz-Towns died in April 2020 from complications related to COVID-19. She was the center of her son’s world, the woman who taught him about the importance of faith and family, sacrifice and hard work. The fact that this facility – Towns is working with GO Ministries and World Youth Clubs to make this possible – will be built where she comes from is no coincidence.
“It was very important to me to give back to my community, a country that gave me everything, gave me my mother and gave me the love of the game of basketball,” Towns said. “It gave me the word love, both of family and understanding how to treat people.”
Also in tribute to his mother, Towns has represented the Dominican Republic in multiple international tournaments dating back to 2011 at the junior level. He most recently played for the island nation at the 2023 World Cup in the Philippines, averaging 24.4 points in five games.
This basketball facility is part of a complex that also includes two soccer fields, four baseball fields, indoor outdoor basketball and volleyball courts, and an educational facility. Towns said it took time to find the right people to actually implement the programs — he has known and trusted some of them for years — and now the “building blocks are in place,” he said.
And most of all, his mother – who often took him to church and even when the family was struggling, taught him the importance of helping others – would approve.
“It’s the safe haven for some of these kids who are in different situations and lack resources,” Towns said. “To give these kids the opportunity to dream and really think about the dream – maybe they don’t make it to the NBA, the WNBA, professional baseball, they don’t become a professional volleyball player or a great football player – but now they get to dream . The fact that they can develop their life skills and social skills, and also learn how to have a passion, be determined about something and have dedication, I think is great.”
