VIDEO: Karl-Anthony Towns Talks Knicks Championship, Celebrating With Patrick Ewing, and James Dolan’s Postseason ‘Sex Ban’
NBA superstar calls into the Stern Show Tuesday morning to break down the team's long-awaited title run
June 16, 2026
Fresh off bringing a historic NBA championship back to New York, superstar Karl-Anthony Towns called into the show on Tuesday morning to celebrate the milestone with Howard. Reflecting on an unforgettable and downright dominant postseason run, the beloved Knicks big man opened up about his journey, from his teenage dream of playing for the Yankees to how he became a devoted Stern Show listener during his years with the Minnesota Timberwolves. The 30-year-old center spoke candidly about navigating personal tragedies, proposing to his fiancée last December, and the unparalleled experience of playing in the Garden alongside all-star teammates and in front of the rotating cast of A-list Knicks fans populating “Celebrity Row.”
Great as those professional experiences have been, they pale in comparison to the feeling of delivering New York its first NBA title in over half a century.
“It’s so amazing, and it’s so amazing to see the city come together,” Karl shared of the victory. “I would never have imagined [seeing] all five boroughs really say at one time: ‘We are all behind the Knicks.’ I mean, Brooklyn was going crazy for the Knicks. They got a whole NBA team over there!”
Facing the San Antonio Spurs in the Finals meant squaring off against their 7-foot-4 phenom Victor Wembanyama, but Howard noted that his guest never once looked intimidated on the court.
“Competition has always been my driving factor,” Karl said, tracing his fearless demeanor directly back to his childhood. “I always wanted to play against the best of the best since I was young. My dad always had me playing up; I would be a 14-year-old playing in the [under-]17 group. Those guys were physically more mature than me, but I had to find a way to always continue to compete.”
No one felt the emotional weight of that victory quite like franchise legend Patrick Ewing, whom Karl sought out immediately after the final buzzer. “I searched for Patrick after the game because I knew it was a big moment in my career, but I just felt so good that it meant so much to him,” he said. “It was so amazing to see how this win healed so many people in New York, fan-wise, even the alumni and Patrick. When I hugged Patrick, it was like he finally was able to exhale and see a trophy in a Knicks jersey.”
“It didn’t matter that he wasn’t playing in the games,” Towns added of the Hall of Famer. “It was just the fact that he was still heavily involved with us, and he was able to see the end of the road, to see the trophy actually in his lifetime. Even though he didn’t put up one jumper, he got to experience this moment.”
That championship roster was made possible by superstar Jalen Brunson famously taking an $113 million pay cut—but Towns joked that fact didn’t absolve his teammate from his duties as a captain when it came to picking up the check after a team dinner. Owner James Dolan, meanwhile, showed a different kind of leadership recently when he jokingly instructed his players to avoid sex during the postseason.
“I would definitely say when I came home and told my fiancée what he said, she didn’t like to hear that one,” Karl said with a laugh.
“Really? You ignored James Dolan and you said, ‘Listen, honey, I am going to deliver the goods’?” Howard pressed.
“I would say she’s very happy,” Towns demurred.
Howard noted how romantic the love story sounded between Karl and his fiancée, Jordyn Woods.
“I mean, listen, that woman is special, man. There’s a reason why I’m marrying her,” Karl beamed, explaining that they were best friends for years before they started dating and eventually got engaged. Their bond deepened as they helped each other navigate immense personal grief, including the heartbreaking loss of his mother, Jacqueline Cruz-Towns, who passed away in 2020 from COVID-19 complications.
“When my mother was passing, her father had just passed tragically,” he recalled. “I trusted her in one of the most impactful moments of my life with her advice, and she was right on the money every single time,” Towns concluded. “That’s why I had to put a ring on it.”
