Karl-Anthony Towns was born in New Jersey, but his Dominican heritage (through his mother) and past appearances for the Dominican Republic help explain why he’s on the NBA All-Star World Team in the league’s new USA vs.

Karl-Anthony Towns sparked confusion at the NBA All-Star by playing for Team World despite growing up in New Jersey, as he represents the Dominican Republic.

Towns is on the World team thanks to his Dominican Republic roots. His late mother was Dominican, and he honors her by representing that country in international play. Towns first suited up for the D.R. in 2012 in a friendly against the United States when he was just 16. His mother, Jacqueline Cruz, is from there.

Alan Hahn supports Durant's strategy of raising the stakes for the 2026 ASG.