Fans did not take a reporter's question to Karl-Anthony Towns lightly, as the New York Knicks star lost his mom in 2020.
The Knicks face the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 4 of the NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals, and a reporter asked Towns how he felt playing on Mother's Day.
“It's work. Just work to me,” Towns responded. “I'm glad we got a game on Mother's Day, it gets me doing what I love and it gets me off of everything off the court.”
Towns' mother, Jacqueline Cruz-Towns, passed away on April 13, 2020, due to complications from COVID-19. Fans believed that the reporter's question was insensitive and criticized the journalist's intention.
“Very poor taste to ask him that question,” one fan wrote.
“Why are they always doing this to him????” another fan asked. “Most people who lost a love one still have to work the next day.”
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Another fan suggested that the question should have been asked tomorrow instead of hours before the game where he could have given an uplifting answer if the Knicks win. “This question should be asked to him, if the Knicks win tomorrow, and the question should be done this Monday as an ability to lift him up with an awesome answer. Instead it’s like asking him this to get him off his game.”
Karl-Anthony Towns was asked about playing on Mother's Day after losing his mom in 2020:
"It's work. Just work to me. I'm glad we got a game on Mother's Day, it gets me doing what I love and it gets me off of everything off the court." pic.twitter.com/Kwhz5qc2Ru
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) May 9, 2026
While Towns has not shared if he dislikes being asked about his mother prior to a game, he has been open about his loss.
“It just hurts. It hurts so bad every day,” Towns said in a video posted back in 2020 on his YouTube channel. “I’m just glad I had the time I did.”
The Knicks lead the series 3-0 and take on the 76ers at 3:30 pm ET.
Fans did not take a reporter's question to Karl-Anthony Towns lightly, as the New York Knicks star lost his mom in 2020. The Knicks face the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 4 of the NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals, and a reporter asked Towns how he felt playing on Mother's Day. “It's work. Just work to me,” Towns responded.