Karl-Anthony Towns and Debbie Saunders with SUV
Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns not only won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award on Monday, but he won the hearts yet again of Minnesotans. As part of winning the Rookie award, Towns was given a free Sports Utility Vehicle by the automobile company that sponsors the trophy. Towns chose to pay tribute to the man who chose him as the top overall pick in last year’s NBA Draft, but never got to coach him. Flip Saunders passed away last fall, before ever coaching the budding star in a game.
Towns chose to donate the S-U-V to the Minnesota Chapter of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
At only 60-years-old, Saunders died from Hodgkin’s lymphoma in October. Towns says it was an emotional time for him as he tried to prove to people that Saunders was right in choosing him as the No. 1 pick. Towns says he felt as if a member of his family had passed away when Saunders died.
Saunders’ wife Debbie was on hand to accept the donation on her late husband’s behalf. Their son Ryan is a member of the coaching staff of the Timberwolves and was also on hand today at the Target Center.