In May 2024, Karl-Anthony Towns reflected on his nine-year journey in Minnesota after helping the Timberwolves reach their first Western Conference Finals since 2004. “I’ve been here nine years, I’ve talked about wanting to win and do something special here with this organization,” Towns told reporters.

Before he could continue, Anthony Edwards leaned into the microphone and interrupted him. “Man, f–k them nine years.” The moment instantly went viral. It also perfectly captured their relationship. Towns carried the weight of Minnesota’s past. Edwards only cared about its future. Two years later, even after a blockbuster trade separated them, that bond remains intact.

That bond resurfaced on Saturday after the New York Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs 94-90 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals to secure the franchise’s first championship in 53 years. Shortly after the final buzzer, Edwards FaceTimed Towns to congratulate his former teammate, with Towns later sharing a screenshot of the call on Instagram. Sharing the screenshot of their FaceTime on his Instagram Story, Towns captioned: “My brudda 4eva! Love you fam.” 

The gesture carried extra meaning given how difficult their separation had been. When Minnesota traded Towns to New York before the 2024-25 season, Edwards admitted the move was personal.

“I think everybody knows KAT is my brother. So that definitely hurts,” Edwards said at Timberwolves Media Day. “That’s my dawg.”

Minnesota’s official account also acknowledged the moment, posting a photo of Edwards and Towns embracing with the caption: “congrats, @nyknicks🏆.”

The four-time All-Star spent several seasons in Minnesota, helping guide the franchise to playoff appearances in 2018, 2022, 2023 and 2024 while forming one of the league’s most recognizable partnerships with Edwards.

Towns’ Minnesota tenure was never short on talent, but postseason success often proved elusive. He reached the playoffs four times with the franchise and helped deliver its first Western Conference Finals appearance in two decades during the 2023-24 season.

The championship also represented a dramatic shift in how Towns’ career is viewed. Following Minnesota’s 2024 Western Conference Finals loss, critics questioned whether he could be a core piece on a title contender. Two seasons later, he became part of the Knicks team that ended a 53-year championship drought.

Karl-Anthony Towns Thanks Anthony Edwards After Win

“My failures have actually built me into the man today on and off the court. Everyone wants the easy route, and I think it’s so fitting that for me, I’ve always wanted the biggest challenge, and there’s no bigger challenge than to win in New York City for the New York Knicks,” Towns shared with Monica McNutt. “It’s a big shoutout too to everyone in Minnesota that allowed me to grow, allowed me to learn, allowed to know what it really takes to get to this point.”

Towns later singled out Edwards again while discussing the people who helped shape his journey to a championship.

Then the 30-year-old went ahead to give credit to his former teammate. Karl-Anthony Towns said, “I’m so blessed that I had some amazing teammates like Ricky Rubio, Zach LaVine, Andrew Wiggins, of course my little brother Anthony Edwards, man, I talk to him all the time, Rudy Gobert, and everyone.”

The admiration has always worked both ways. During the Timberwolves’ 2022 playoff run, Edwards described Towns as “one of the most gifted big men I’ve ever watched,” while Towns spent years publicly campaigning for Edwards’ success, once declaring, “I’ve said it since Day 1, we made the right pick.”

Before leaving the Wolves, Towns found his perfect running mate in Anthony Edwards. This duo had transformed the Timberwolves into a genuine force in the West. Their partnership reached new heights in the 2023-24 season with All-Star honors and a Conference Finals appearance. They finished that season with a 56-26 record, finishing 3rd in the West.

The NBA’s business side may have ended their partnership on the court, but it never changed the relationship behind the scenes. Edwards called Towns his “brother” when the trade happened. Towns called Edwards his “little brother” after winning a championship.

Two years after Edwards interrupted Towns with “Man, f–k them nine years,” the two were celebrating together again, this time with an NBA championship trophy sitting beside one of them.