There was something special about this New York Knicks NBA championship run.
Although Finals MVP Jalen Brunson will walk away with the headlines after a 45-point masterpiece against the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5, another person who went through a lot to get there was Karl-Anthony Towns, who overcame grief to reach the league’s mountain top.
Karl-Anthony Towns Thanks His Late Mother After Overcoming Grief to Become a Champion
Towns lost his mother, Jacqueline “Jackie” Cruz-Towns, to COVID-19 complications in April 2020, a painful reminder of the impact the pandemic had on so many families worldwide, including his family.
Towns was particularly close to his mother, and in a fitting tribute during his finest hour, holding the Larry O’Brien Trophy aloft, he took the opportunity to thank her.
Ernie Johnson Jr. spoke to a delighted, emotional Towns during the celebrations, asking the player to put into words the sense of divine inspiration.
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The delighted Knicks center replied with a heartfelt, inspirational message about his journey to reach the NBA’s pinnacle, trusting his faith and the work he put in.
“You work your whole life for this moment. Throughout my career, I’ve seen myself fall down, people telling me to stay down, and I got back up even when I was in the mud…I kept trusting god, I kept trusting my faith, I kept trusting the work.”
“This team has always said since the beginning, it is written. This was written for New York.”
“Thank you mama, I appreciate you getting me one.”
— Karl-Anthony Towns. 🙏🙏🙏 pic.twitter.com/AOwcu4wtXz
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) June 14, 2026
Towns then gave a heartfelt shout-out to his mom: “Y’all heard my story, you know my story, I just wanna say…thank you, mama, I appreciate you getting me one.”
Towns played a huge role in the Knicks’ Finals win. Faced with the unenviable task of matching up with Victor Wembanyama, he battled gamely on the defensive end to nullify Wembanyama’s threat.
Although Game 5 saw Towns mostly sidelined by foul trouble, in his first two games of the series, he was immense and set the tone.
In Game 1, he had a stat line of 18 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 block. He was even better in Game 2, dominating the Spurs with 21 points, 13 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 block, and 1 steal, imposing himself over Wembanyama.
In the Knicks’ dramatic 29-point comeback to win Game 4, Towns made 2 clutch buckets, and it was his fingertips that blocked the Spurs’ inbounds pass at the buzzer to secure the win.
Now, Towns has reached the NBA’s pinnacle with his beloved hometown team, with more than a touch of divine inspiration helping the Knicks to their first title in 53 years.
