Karl-Anthony Towns Returns, Reveals Just How Severe His Injury Was

Set to make his return Wednesday night after 51 games, Minnesota Timberwolves All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns is opening up about the frustrating calf injury that kept him out for four months. Most observers had no idea of the severity of the calf strain. It was actually torn, reveals Towns.

Karl-Anthony Towns reveals his calf was torn

“When you have a torn calf, that's a significant one. It takes time. And being my size, you don't want it to become like KD in Golden State.”

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— NBACentral (@TheNBACentral) March 22, 2023

“When you have a torn calf, that's a significant one," he told ESPN's Ramona Shelburne. "It takes time. And being my size, you don't want it to become like KD in Golden State.” 

Kevin Durant, then with the Golden State Warriors, suffered a right calf strain in May of 2019, missing more than a month before returning in Game 5 of the NBA Finals. And we all remember the ruptured Achilles tendon he suffered that game in the same leg.

Towns' injury back in November was called a Grade 3 calf strain, but as he put it, a Grade 3 calf sprain "is really just a tear." 

He thought he was ready to return back in January, but suffered a major setback, basically re-tearing the calf. "The return is imminent, and then boom," Towns said. "Do a little too much. It just in essence, retore. And now we're back at square one again."

Tonight, then, is Square One all over again. He'll reacclimate himself as quickly as possible, as the Timberwolves are in a real dogfight for a playoff spot with just nine games to play. They're currently in 9th place in the West, in a virtual tie for the last two Play-In spots with the Utah Jazz. But the Los Angeles Lakers and New Orleans Pelicans are just a half-game behind.

Photo: Nick Wosika-USA TODAY Sports