A stunning blockbuster trade late in the NBA offseason involves a pair of Kentucky Wildcats, with the New York Knicks sending Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for four-time All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns.
Minnesota also receives a protected first round pick, while the Charlotte Hornets are a third party in the trade, receiving draft compensation to help make the financial aspects of the trade even out.
Towns and Randle are two of the seven NBA All-Stars from last season who played college basketball at Kentucky, alongside Tyrese Maxey, Anthony Davis, Devin Booker, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Bam Adebayo.
Towns was a consensus All-American at Kentucky in the 2014-15 season, averaging 10.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game while leading the Wildcats to the Final Four. He became the first player selected in the 2015 NBA draft and averaged 22.9 points and 10.8 rebounds across his career in Minnesota, and now joins a Knicks team desperately in need of a true center.
Meanwhile, Randle was at Kentucky just one season before Towns, also earning All-American honors while averaging 15 points and 10.4 rebounds for coach John Calipari’s club. The forward was picked seventh in the 20214 NBA draft, and has made three All-Star appearances while with the Knicks.
The trade unfortunately ends the “Villanova Knicks” dream. The Knicks rostered DiVincenzo, Jalen Brunson, and Josh Hart last season – all Villanova alumni – and over the offseason acquired another Nova star in Mikal Bridges. With DiVincenzo heading to Minnesota in the trade, all four former Wildcats won’t get to suit up together in the Big Apple after all.