Karl-Anthony Towns is a likely contender for the NBA’s Rookie of The Year Award, but it hasn’t been easy.
The Minnesota Timberwolves rookie forward dedicated his inaugural season to former NBA star Darryl Dawkins and coach Flip Saunders, both of whom impacted his life before their deaths in 2015.
MORE: 2016 NBA Draft prospect rankings | 50 Twitter accounts to follow in playoffs
Saunders was responsible for drafting Towns first overall last June before dying of Hodgkin's lymphoma just before the start of this season.
Dawkins, who spent more than a decade in the NBA, was a long-time friend of his father’s and a mentor to Towns.