Carl Anthony Downs is ready to play his career-best season
Carl Anthony Downs has been one of the most prolific big men in the NBA since he was drafted in 2015, but he has made only one playoff appearance with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Facing the upcoming seventh season, Towns believes neither he nor the team has yet to play at his best.
Towns had just experienced the toughest eighteen months of his life. His mother, Jacqueline, died of COVID-19 in April 2020. Downs also had six other family members die from the virus. Downs has publicly endorsed the vaccine and has been urging the public to get vaccinated this offseason.
SB Nation and Towns chatted about the upcoming season, his relationship with D'Angelo Russell, how it felt to play with Anthony Edwards, and his improvements in projection. Downs is working with Mobil 1 to offer reward packages to fans through Behindthedrive.com.
In order to make the article more concise and clear, this dialogue has been slightly edited.
I think everyone knows that you've just gone through eighteen months of suffering. Are you okay before the start of the new season?
I feel good. It's a good offseason for me and I'm just constantly tweaking – as much as I can. I found a solution. Play games, enjoy life, and spend time with your family. Once we were big family. It was really heartening to see my niece, nephew, dad, sister, especially after COVID-19.
What do you think about the end of that season at the University of Kentucky? You did so well that year, starting 38-0 and then losing to the final four. Now that you've been out of college for six years, does the way that season ends still heart-wrenching?
Man, I just talked to John Calipali the other day and I'm still sad. It haunts me a lot. It was a great opportunity. We put in all our efforts and it paid off, all we needed was to play the final game well, but we didn't do it well. To this day, when I see Frank Kaminsky, I see Sam Decker, and I still get a little angry. See Duke University too. That's one of those things you have to endure. It will never go away.
You could finally play with your buddy D'Angelo Russell last season, but it was a tough season with injuries and pandemics. What do you hope to achieve in the new season?
I think we still have a lot to achieve. We have a lot to do. [We're going to] do what we can to make this team as successful as possible and build a culture that will stand the test of time. That's what we're focusing on now. For us, the drama is still to come. We haven't had a really healthy season yet. I was injured and when I came back I wasn't close to 100% form and had to find a way to recover. Then he was injured too and he wasn't 100% in form either. It must have been great to be able to go back and play. At the beginning of last season, we had a great start, when we were all healthy and ready. Hopefully we can keep that up for the next eighty-two games.
Anthony Edwards seemed to exude a lot of positive energy as a rookie last season. How do you feel as his veteran teammate?
He was full of energy. He is very positive. He reminded Russell and I of when we first entered the league, full of energy and full of energy every day. He's an amazing player and an amazing teammate. He has a chance to be a really great player. We will continue to play a good role as a suitable veteran around him and continue to guide him in the right direction of success. This is not pride, nor is it modesty. Just hope he can be the best player for his family and the team so that the big guys can win the game together.
I enjoy watching Edwards' interviews. He was always so frank, confident, and funny. What was the most outrageous cow he ever blew?
I do not know. He boasts about anything every day. I don't think there's anything he thinks he can't do. I've heard him talk about baseball. That's my sport, man, I know what that's like. If you're looking for someone who exudes self-confidence, it's him. I want him to believe that he can do anything, because one day, his confidence will be on the pitch and reflected in what he has achieved.
The average fan may not realize it, but statistically, you're one of the greatest big shooters of all time. How do you see yourself evolving in terms of exterior projection?
One trick is not feasible today. I've always wanted to be the most versatile player I can be. Over the years, I've had some really great coaches and teachers, and my dad has been teaching me to play basketball and develop my skills — and I don't think anybody has such a rich arsenal of weapons, especially players my size. I just want to maximize the utility of my arsenal. There is no reason to be just a pitcher. I think the numbers speak volumes about how efficient I've been at three points in my career. That's what I want. My whole game is built on efficiency, and whether I'm close to the basket, mid-range, three-pointers, long-range three-pointers, I want to be as efficient as possible. I can shoot all kinds of three-pointers, and I'm going to keep shooting.
I've always considered myself a great shooter. My dad always knew this. Kalipari knew it too. Kentucky fans love to think about it — but Calipairi knows I can. I just want to play as efficient basketball as possible, especially in the NBA.
What is Mobil 1's activity about?
It's an amazing partnership that came together this summer. Working with Mobil One, a big brand like ExxonMobil, gives fans the opportunity to win some great gear and great prizes, which is a once-in-a-lifetime good thing, which is really great. We started such an event just to give back to the community, which makes this event even more special. (Giving back to society) is what drives me to greatness, what drives me to train hard. It's great to try to inspire the next generation with something. Our cooperation has been very successful. It's nice to be back on the pitch and play a role off the pitch.