Karl-Anthony Towns named NBA’s Social Justice Champion
Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) celebrates his 3-point basket against the Phoenix Suns during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, April 14, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
Another member of the Minnesota Timberwolves has won a major league award.
Minnesota Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns was named the NBA’s 2023-24 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion on Thursday.
Created in 2021, the award is given to a player for his work in pursuing social justice and upholding the league’s values of equality, respect and inclusion. Towns is the first Timberwolves player to receive the honor.
“It is a great honor to be named the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion,” Towns said. “I am proud to have played a role in the passing of Minnesota’s Restore the Vote bill and I will always be committed to supporting social justice causes as that is part of my DNA.”
As part of the honor, the NBA is donating $100,000 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities on Towns’ behalf.
Starting in late 2022 or early 2023, Towns was a strong advocate of the state’s “Restore the Vote” bill to allow felons who’ve completed their periods of incarceration to vote. That bill was ultimately passed by state lawmakers and signed into law last summer, but Towns participated in many community meetings and conversations in support of the measure.
He also used his platform to highlight other social justice and equity issues, including as a producer for the documentary “Forgiving Johnny” and through funding for Ava DuVernay’s film “Origin.”
The other finalists for the honor were Pelicans guard CJ McCollum, Clippers guard Russell Westbrook, Thunder guard Lindy Waters III and Heat center Bam Adebayo.