KAT brought out his claws.
Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns, in attendance for the 2026 ESPY Awards at Lincoln Center on Wednesday night, took a swipe at one of the team’s playoff foes as New York looked to take home the Best Team award.
“You can pick up all the analytics and statistics you want,” Towns said during a pre-show interview Wednesday with ESPN’s Kevin Negandhi and Christine Williamson.
Karl-Anthony Towns and model Jordyn Woods attend the 2026
ESPY Awards at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center
on July 15, 2026. AFP via Getty Images
“Analytically, we should win this one. We should win this one analytically.”
Towns’ remark was a shot at Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson, who infamously suggested his team had been “analytically” superior to the Knicks during the Eastern Conference finals.
“We’ve had success against this team before. We’ve had really good moments,” Atkinson said after Game 3. “In this series, up [20 points in] Game 1. Even Game 2, take that run out from the beginning of the third quarter, and it’s pretty tight.
“I think analytically, I think we’ve won I said three out of three, I think we’re two out of three in the [expected score] … we’ve won two out of three. And I know you’re looking confused, but … if you believe in process and all that, take that layer.
Karl-Anthony Towns swiped at Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson (above), who said his team had been “analytically” superior. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
After coming back from a 22-point deficit in the fourth quarter for a memorable Game 1 win, the Knicks ultimately steamrolled past Cleveland en route to a sweep.
Despite entering the organization’s first NBA Finals in 27 years as the underdog, the Knicks defeated the Spurs in five games to cap off a historic postseason.
After going down to the Hawks 2-1 in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs, the Knicks went on an improbable run, winning 13 straight games and going more than a month and a half between losses.
The Knicks swept the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
“The city hasn’t seen this in 53 years, hasn’t even seen the opportunity of being in the Finals for 27 years,” Towns added. “So when you think about those factors, a team that wasn’t picked to be the favorite, underdog in every series we played, including the last one.
“For us, with the playoff run we had, with how dominant it was … six-point differential in the games that we did lose. 49 days, I believe, without losing a game in the playoffs. That’s my pick for best team.”
New York was among several memorable teams competing for Best Team ESPY, including the Aces (WNBA), Dodgers (MLB), Indiana Hoosiers (NCAA football), Hurricanes (NHL), Texas Longhorns (NCAA softball), Seahawks (NFL) and the United States men’s and women’s hockey teams.
The show proved to be another trophy-filled night for the Knicks as Jalen Brunson took home Best NBA Player and Best Championship Performance ESPY Awards.
OG Anunoby also won for Best Play.
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