The Kentucky Wildcats basketball program has been one of the most prolific in the NCAA when it comes to sending players to the next level. As of the 2024-25 season, the Wildcats have a league-high 29 former players competing in the NBA.
Now, under first-year head coach Mark Pope, No. 3 seed Kentucky is heading to the Sweet 16 after defeating Troy and Illinois, respectively, in the first weekend of March Madness. New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns, one of the Wildcats’ best players in recent history, voiced his support for Kentucky following its March 23 win in the Round of 32.
Karl-Anthony Towns Shows Love to Kentucky After Sweet 16 Berth
Former Wildcat star Towns took to X to celebrate Kentucky’s tournament run, posting a four-word reaction.
“See y’all in Indy.”
Towns’ message hyped up the Wildcats as they prepare for the Sweet 16 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
See yall in Indy 💪🏽 https://t.co/hCWn8SpYDi
— Karl-Anthony Towns (@KarlTowns) March 24, 2025
This Sweet 16 run is significant for the program after some rough years in the NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats haven’t made it past the first weekend since 2019 and had some disappointing early exits, including a huge upset against No. 15 seed Saint Peter’s in 2022. With Pope now at the helm, fans are hoping he can turn things around.
Towns was a key piece of the 2014-15 Kentucky squad that nearly went undefeated before losing to Wisconsin in the Final Four. That group had nine future NBA players, including fellow star Devin Booker.
As a one-and-done player, Towns earned several accolades during his time in Lexington. He was a consensus second-team All-American and won the 2015 SEC Freshman of the Year award. While his team couldn’t take home a national championship, Towns was still the No. 1 pick in that year’s NBA Draft.
After spending nine years with the Minnesota Timberwolves, the five-time All-Star was dealt to the Knicks this past offseason in exchange for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo in a blockbuster trade. Considering Minnesota had just made a Western Conference Finals run, the deal was surprising at the time. However, Towns is thriving in New York, averaging 24.5 points and a career-high 12.9 rebounds and 42.5% from 3-point range.
Kentucky will face SEC rival Tennessee in the Sweet 16 on March 28. The Volunteers have one of the nation’s top defenses, but the Wildcats have already beaten them twice this season. Nevertheless, the two schools know each other well, which should make for an exciting game.
Unfortunately for Towns, the Knicks have a game against the Milwaukee Bucks that same day, preventing him from attending. But there’s no doubt he’ll be keeping a close eye on his Wildcats.