The 2025-26 season has not gone as planned for New York Knicks big man Karl-Anthony Towns. The 30-year-old has faced growing criticism for relying too much on outside shooting instead of using his size advantage in the paint.
Ahead of the Knicks’ game against the Houston Rockets on Saturday, Feb. 21, both Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal questioned Towns’ playing style and said he needs to make smarter decisions based on matchups.
Charles Barkley Wants Karl-Anthony Towns To Use His Size More
Speaking before the Knicks faced the Rockets, Barkley explained that his frustration with Towns is not about his talent but about how he approaches the game.
“Well, the thing that frustrates me about him… he don’t know how to play basketball,” Barkley said.
Barkley clarified that Towns is a highly skilled seven-foot shooter. However, he believes Towns is not adjusting his game depending on who is guarding him.
“He’s a terrific seven-foot shooter. But the matchup dictates whether you shoot threes or you go post up,” Barkley said.
In simple terms, Barkley believes that when a smaller defender is guarding Towns, he should attack inside instead of settling for jump shots.
“When he got a little guy on him, there’s no need to shoot threes….the way the NBA is played, and I’m trying to explain because he’s a heck of a player. But when they put a little guy on you, go in the post,” Barkley added.
Shaquille O’Neal Calls Towns Soft Amid Recent Struggles
The NBA veteran, O’Neal, was even more direct in his criticism.
“I would say this to his face if I was his teammate: He’s playing soft. Playing really soft,” O’Neal said.
Part of this criticism comes from Towns’ current numbers. He is averaging 19.9 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 2.9 assists this season. However, he has been less efficient than usual, shooting 47.1% from the field and 35.7% from beyond the arc.
Those marks represent the lowest field goal percentage of his career and the second-lowest three-point percentage. At the same time, Towns is attempting 4.4 three-pointers per game this season, which suggests he is still spending a lot of time on the perimeter instead of in the paint.
Despite the criticism, Towns delivered a strong performance against the Rockets later in the night. He recorded 25 points, 7 rebounds, and an assist while shooting 10-of-15 from the field and 3-of-3 from three-point range in the Knicks’ 108-106 win.
After the game, O’Neal acknowledged that Towns had adjusted his approach and praised him while talking to him on a call from the Inside the NBA broadcast.
“At the beginning of the game, I said you were playing soft because I’ve seen you at times when you play great,” O’Neal said.
“You responded very, very well. You played well. You played in the paint. That’s how you should play.”
The Knicks have gone 3-3 in their last six games as they continue to adjust to Mike Brown’s defense-first system following Tom Thibodeau’s departure, which has also impacted Towns’ offensive role. The team still sits at the third spot in the Eastern Conference standings with a 36-21 record.
