Carmelo Anthony Shares His Observation of Karl-Anthony Towns (Spoiler: It's Not Good)
Jan 20, 2026
When a Basketball Hall of Famer talks, it would be wise for NBA players to listen. Ironically, Carmelo Anthony is disappointed that Karl-Anthony Towns caught on to his words.
During NBC’s coverage of NBA action on Martin Luther King Day, Anthony shared an interesting observation of Towns from this past Saturday, when the New York Knicks hosted the Phoenix Suns. Melo, of course, has a vested interest in the Knicks, a franchise that he spent seven seasons with.
“KAT shot an airball in the fourth quarter the other day. I screamed, ‘It’s over with. Leave it alone. On to the next one.’ He looked back and said, ‘I got you, OG,’” Anthony shared.
Instead of being delighted that he was heard, Anthony was not pleased with Towns’ reaction. “For him to shoot that airball and for him to acknowledge what I said at that moment…you [KAT] are thinking about that. You cannot think like that throughout the course of the game.”
Anthony’s fellow panelist Tracy McGrady, who was also inducted into the Hall of Fame on the strength of his impeccable scoring, summed up Anthony’s assessment of Towns with two words: “Rabbit ears.”
While the words of Anthony and McGrady appear to be a scathing criticism of Towns, their intention is crystal clear. Towns, a five-time All-Star, may as well be the embodiment of the Knicks’ current state: severely underperforming and getting caught up in the pressure as the NBA season rages on.
The Knicks absorbed a 116–99 loss to the Suns on Saturday, which pushed their losing streak to three. This setback is the seventh overall in their first nine games of 2026, and while their 25–17 record allows them to keep the No. 3 spot in the Eastern Conference, the Toronto Raptors (25–19) now have a better chance of leapfrogging them in the standings.
While Xs and Os are crucial to any NBA team’s success, the mental aspect is key as well. Towns and the rest of the Knicks have proven in the past that they can withstand the myriad of challenges that the regular season brings, and they will have to regain that form sooner rather than later.
