New York Knicks president Phil Jackson reportedly has Kentucky center Karl-Anthony Towns atop the team's draft board, and the feeling may be mutual. Although Towns didn't name the team he wanted to select him in the 2015 NBA draft, he did sound excited about the possibility of playing under a Jackson-led franchise.
Towns could wind up playing for the Knicks next season, and he didn't shy away from telling reporters how much he admired Jackson.
"It's his presence,'' Towns told the New York Post on Sunday. "What he means to me, his presence is just amazing. What was so awesome as a coach, he made every player better and put them in the best position to succeed. He's just so smart and intelligent and has so much experience. He knows how to win. At the end of the day, what every player wants to do is win. If I have the opportunity to ever play for the Knicks, that's what I would love to do.''
Most experts have Towns going second behind Duke center Jahlil Okafor, but a report from last week suggested Jackson doesn't see it that way.
Per ESPN:
"According to ESPN Insider Chad Ford, Towns is currently the Knicks' top choice if they wind up with the No. 1 pick. New York ranks Towns at No. 1 on its draft board, followed by Okafor, (Emmanuel) Mudiay, Ohio State's D'Angelo Russell and Duke's Justise Winslow, sources inside the organization told Ford."
Jackson has seen Towns play this season. Although NBA rules prohibited Jackson from talking about Towns during the season, Jackson has gone on the record as saying he wants to draft a defensive-minded big. That bill clearly fits Towns. Whereas Okafor is considered to be the polished offensive scorer, Towns is considered to be the superior defender.
May 19 will determine where New York picks in the upcoming draft. If the pick lands outside the top four, Jackson suggested he would likely trade down.
