Former Kentucky big man Karl-Anthony Towns has been giving current UK big guy Skal Labissiere advice throughout the season.
Towns, who says he follows the Cats very closely, says he’s been giving Skal pointers and making sure he’s OK.
Check out his comments to Sporting News:
“I think all the talks we’ve had are (now) really hitting him in the head,” Towns told Sporting News two days after Labissiere scored 18 points, grabbed nine rebounds and blocked six shots against LSU. “He’s listening. You can see him using the right hand hook more, which I’ve been telling him to use. He’s shooting the midrange jump shot a lot.
“I mean, he’s always listened, but it takes time. It’s a process. He’s doing a great job of progressing as a player. I talk to him, give him some pointers. The biggest thing is you always want to make sure he’s OK. The process can be grueling, especially at a place like Kentucky.”
Kentucky has more players in the NBA this season than any other college. Three of the 22 former Wildcats players in the NBA — Towns, Tayshaun Prince and Aaron Harrison — spoke with Sporting News this week about all things Kentucky hoops.
“The team has played well this season. They’re getting together. The camaraderie is there,” Towns said. “I’m very proud of the progress they’ve made. They’ve done a great job. They’ve always had the unity, so it’s just about finding ways to win.”
While averaging 17.7 points and 10.2 rebounds per game as the consensus NBA Rookie of the Year favorite, Towns makes time to follow his former school “very closely.”
