Karl-Anthony Towns sits down with Malachi Moreno to talk path to stardom at Kentucky

Karl-Anthony Towns sits down with Malachi Moreno (Photo via UK Athletics)

Malachi Moreno enters his freshman season at Kentucky as a top-30 recruit and McDonald’s All-American with his eyes on not only stardom in Lexington but a future in the NBA. No one is better than Karl-Anthony Towns, the newest UK Athletics Hall of Fame inductee and a five-time All-Star, to show the Georgetown, KY native that path as a former Burger Boy and No. 1 draft pick in his own right.

When the New York Knicks star was in town for his HOF ceremony, he sat down with Moreno to talk about his own career, starting as a blue-chip prospect and making history as a team with that near-perfect 2014-15 squad before making the Wildcats proud in the pros.

How did he accomplish so much in so little time in Lexington?

“My mindset has always been about winning, winning rings,” Towns told Moreno. “When I came here, I knew I had a great chance to win a national championship and be a part of something special. That was the only focus I had.”

Moreno asked Towns what it was like to face the pressure of winning big in Lexington before taking on life as a top draft pick. His response? That’s why you play at Kentucky.

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“You at Kentucky, so pressure is every day. This was nothing new, going to the NBA Draft. … We’re used to this here. You know just as well as anyone, when you’ve got that Cats across your chest, you’ve got Kentucky across your chest, you’re expected at a different standard playing basketball,” he told Moreno. “The pressure of being the No. 1 pick and all that, I knew that if I took care of my work, the same way I did at Joe Craft — I just came in every day and worked tremendously hard, outworked everybody. Everything would take care of itself. I was never really feeling pressured, I just knew I had a little more locking in to do before I could say I really made it.”

His advice to the Wildcat freshman entering his debut in the blue and white?

“Appreciate these moments. Appreciate these moments, being with these fans in college. These are all the best players in the world, you may never be in a room with that much talent again. Being able to play this pure essence of basketball — after this, it becomes a job. … It goes by quick. I blinked and I’m already 11 years in the NBA.”

Take a look at the full sit-down conversation: