The Minnesota Timberwolves are crushing their competition this season. With a 2-0 lead on the Denver Nuggets in Round 2 of playoffs, the Wolves are at the top of their game. In the process, two of Wolves’ stars stood to receive honors from the NBA. While Rudy Gobert was awarded the title of Defensive Player of The Year, Karl-Anthony Towns was recently honored with the title of the NBA Social Justice Champion for this season.

Named after former NBA star, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the Social Justice Champion award is a special recognition that transcends the boundaries of the court. Witnessing the feat, many notable personalities came out to congratulate the star.

Social Justice Champion, Karl-Anthony Towns

A video shared by the official Instagram accounts of the Minnesota Timberwolves and the NBA featured congratulatory messages for the player. The heartwarming video captured the essence of the achievement’s importance. Amongst the personalities was none other than Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Adding on, Mark Tatum, Deputy Commissioner NBA, and Tim Walz, Governor of Minnesota, also sent their congratulations.

Kareem, the NBA star who inspired the award, acknowledged KAT’s contribution to the community. He said, “We are thrilled to honor you as the NBA Social Justice Champion for the 2023-24 season. There were a number of phenomenal candidates but your efforts to expand voting rights in Minnesota truly stood out.” Towns has constantly advocated for social causes such as criminal justice, educational systems, and voting rights of formerly incarcerated individuals. He played an important role in the passing of Minnesota’s Restore the Vote bill (House File 28) that grants formerly incarcerated people, the right to vote. The bill granted voting rights to around 55,000 Minnesotans. And Governor Walz said, “Thanks for the work on the court and in communities.”

“It is a great honor to be named the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion,” Towns shared. “I am proud to have played a role in the passing of Minnesota’s Restore the Vote bill and I will always be committed to supporting social justice causes as that is part of my DNA.” A finalist for the award in 2022, KAT was recognized by the NBA for his social justice efforts in the wake of George Floyd’s murder. As part of Towns’ 32 Wellness initiative, a $100,000 donation will be made on his behalf to the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities. The donation aims to promote youth health equity and aid the mental health of Black and Brown communities. Here’s more about the award and its former recipients.

The Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion Award

Every year, the NBA presents the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion Award to recognise athletes who are contributing towards the cause of social justice. Jabbar, a six-time NBA champion is the inspiration behind the award’s creation in 2021. His engagement with social activism dates back to the civil rights struggle in the US.

A committee of NBA superstars, league officials, and social justice leaders choose the finalists and winner after all 30 teams nominates one player from their roster. The winner chooses a charity to whom they wish to donate $100,000 on their behalf. The remaining four finalists select a charity to receive a $25,000 grant.

Karl-Anthony Towns work on and off court is commendable, serving as an inspiration for those that look up to him. In honoring Towns, the NBA reaffirms its dedication to using its platform to champion for social issues. As he celebrates his recognition, the Wolves and Nuggets face off on May 10 in Game 3.