Karl Towns Jr: Rising 8th Grader

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Once in a blue moon, talent begins to shine in basketball at a very youthful age. It is very rare to see some players hit the bulls eye of the college radar at a young age, before he/she has even hit the high school circuit. But, that blue moon has arrived and the talent’s name is Karl Towns Jr.

Karl is a 6’10 1/2″ small forward, who is currently in the 8th grade. This young man has been identified as a potential top recruit whose talents have earned him a spot on the radar of many of the premier college basketball programs in the country this summer! Karl plays up on the U-17 Team NJ-ABC coached by his father, Karl Towns Sr, and Dexter Strickland‘s stepfather, Lamont Halsey. Karl is really considered as an asset on the AAU team and has really impacted the game profoundly.  According to Coach Halsey, he still is young and will grow into a great player, “ Karl has a lot of potential. He’s young and still growing into his body. He has good size, is an excellent shooter but still needs to develop his footwork. He is just raw and for being so young he has a real good mind for the game and we ask a lot of him playing up for the U-17s.” The journey for Karl is only the beginning, setting a perfect mark for him to grow in height and grow in his game over his high school career. One thing about Karl that stands out is his unselfish game and his encouragement to help make his team the best it can be. But, just like Karl, Coach Halsey says the team is progressing too. ” Overall it’s a team (U-17 Team NJ-ABC) that’s undersized but we have to be more gritty and competitive. They are learning how to compete well. They started to come together so it’s a transition from breaking out of old high school habits from high school coaches. It’s a challenge with these guys but they have a chance to be really good with what we are trying to do.”

Karl’s height is a huge asset for this team along with his knowledge of the game but there are other players like Steve Alexander who also stands out, according to Coach Halsey and Coach Towns Sr.,  ” Steve Alexander is one that comes to mind, he is a lead guard, great legs, knocks down his jumpshots, is explosive and can get in the lane. We think he has the potential to be a great on the ball defender. We like his development so far and hopefully he will get better.” But Steve isn’t the only player who has recently warranted a look for the coaches, ” TK (Tafari Kerr) is another kid that stands out with his energy and athleticism. He’s about 6’2″, has good legs, is a good athlete, still developing a mid range game. He is capable of knocking it down from 12-14 ft and he can get to the rim and finish.” With a team like Team NJ-ABC that is collectively developing their strategic and tactical skills and together are working on improving their entire game, it makes this program a perfect fit for Karl Towns Jr. and undoubtedly is a place where this rising star can continue to grow. It is a team that will nurture Karl’s talents, develop his game and eventually help him and others go on to play in a premier college basketball program.

So keep your eyes out for Karl Towns Jr. This rising star is on target and set to hit the stratosphere.

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Karl’s

-written by Erin Ashley