Karl-Anthony Town’s ‘Bodega KAT’ Nickname, Explained: How Knicks Star Earned the Nickname After Timberwolves Trade

In a blockbuster trade that surprised Karl-Anthony Towns himself, the Knicks traded away Donte DiVincenzo, Julius Randle and a first-round pick to the Timberwolves in late September in exchange for their franchise player.

The former No. 1 overall pick made four All-Star appearances in nine years with the team that drafted him, also earning the 2016 Rookie of the Year, 2016 All-Rookie First Team Honors and a spot on the All-NBA Third Team in 2018 and 2022. But with the emergence of young star Anthony Edwards and the arrival of fellow big man Rudy Gobert in Minnesota — not to mention his massive contract — Towns was considered expendable by the Timberwolves.

Despite the initial shock, Towns is starting to embrace his new role as the Knicks’ newest big man. His teammates are also clearly welcoming him, with starting guard Josh Hart officially calling him “The Big Bodega” on social media after his preseason debut.

The nickname isn’t new, but rather a revised version of what Knicks fans introduced them to Actually call Towns at time of trade. Here’s everything you need to know about his nickname “Bodega KAT,” including how he earned the nickname before the regular season.

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Karl-Anthony Town’s nickname ‘Bodega KAT’, explained

Following his 10-point Knicks debut in Charlotte, in which Towns went 2-for-7 with four rebounds in 15 minutes of play, Hart reposted a video to X (formerly Twitter) of his center’s only successful 3-point attempt five. tries. He then called KAT ‘The Big Bodega’.

The Grand Bodega https://t.co/w2P1rGhMEy

— Josh Hart (@joshhart) October 7, 2024

Hart referenced a trend that blew up last week by joking about Towns should be called “Bodega KAT” when he moves to New York, a nod to the feline friends often seen hanging out at the city’s street corner markets. First brought up in May when the prospect of a trade to the Kicks was mooted, the nickname stuck and major media outlets were quick to use it in posts showcasing Towns’ highlights.

Bodega KAT🔥🔥🔥

(h/t @Linkingpoints) pic.twitter.com/olijvAgsEX

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) October 6, 2024

It is not the first time that KAT, a nickname in itself, has been given an alter ego. In Minnesota he often used the names Big Purr, Kit KAT or Big Kat, among others. It was only a matter of time before something happened during his Knicks tenure.

Karl-Anthony Towns, aka….

CAT
Big spiders
The large bodega
Bodega CAT
Kit CAT
Big Meow
The Big CAT pic.twitter.com/XeQ2iL9kuv

— Roommates Show (@Roommates__Show) October 17, 2024

POSITIONAL RATING: PG | SG | SF | PF | c

Where is Karl-Anthony Towns from?

Towns is originally from the tri-state area and grew up in Piscataway, NJ, where Rutgers’ main campus is located. He re-entered high school and repeated seventh grade to gain an extra year of development for his already budding basketball career, made possible by his father’s collegiate tenure as a player at Monmouth University.

Towns grew up in the suburbs of New York City and was a Knicks fan, despite the fact that his family could not afford tickets growing up. He spoke about his fandom before he was drafted by Minnesota in 2015, when New York was one of several teams vying for the top pick in the lottery.

“I’ve always been a Knicks fan,” Towns said at the time. “We were able to afford cable and got the MSG channel so I could watch every Knick game. It made me even more of a fan because I could watch every big game.” game.

“My best friend was a Nets fan, so that made for a cool rivalry. My favorite player for the Knicks is a tie between Walt Frazier and Patrick Ewing, but I really liked Patrick Ewing. But I’ve never been to a Knicks game. I could never afford to go there.”

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As a freshman at St. Joseph High School in 2011-12, Towns led the varsity basketball team to a state championship and cemented himself among ESPN’s top 25 national prospects. He repeated titles with St. Joseph in 2013 and 2014 after playing for the Dominican Republic in the 2011 FIBA ​​Americas Championship and the 2012 FIBA ​​World Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

While competing internationally, Towns was trained by Kentucky Head Coach John Calipari, who convinced the center to reclassify back into his original class in 2012 and commit to playing in Lexington. He graduated on time in 2014 as Gatorade Player of the Year with a 3.96/4.5 GPA, a top three prospect no less.