If you watch basketball, you’d know that Karl-Anthony Towns literally uses his shoes as a canvas on which he expresses himself. From his favorite TV shows and movies to his social views to his love for family, he puts it out there for the world to see. And we love it!
Let’s take a look at what the KAT-Man is wearing in the 2021-2022 NBA season, and some of his most memorable kicks from past seasons.
Nike Hyperdunk X
The Nike Hyperdunk X seems to be Karl-Anthony Towns’ basketball shoe of choice this season, as he has worn several custom versions of this Nike sneaker. We’ve picked out a few for you below.
The first version of the Hyperdunk came out in 2008, and has evolved into the comfortable, high-performance shoe it is today.
These shoes feature a Nike Zoom sole for excellent cushioning, and a sturdy upper for great ankle support, but also come in a low-top version.
Nike Hyperdunk X 2022 NBA All-Star 3-Point Contest Shoes
You may remember seeing these sneakers if you watched the NBA All-Star 3-Point Contest in February. Not only because they look awesome, but also because the Big KAT won the contest! He shot 29 points in the final round to beat Trae Young for the title.
The neon green/dark blue colorway of these custom shoes matches the colors of the Minnesota Timberwolves’ 2021-2022 uniform.
Hyperdunk X 2022 NBA All-Star Game Shoes
This custom shoe was designed as a tribute to Karl-Anthony’s mom, who sadly passed away in 2020 from Coronavirus complications. Although his mother wasn’t physically there to see her talented son play, I’m sure if you ask him, he’d tell you that she was there in spirit.
The flashy, pink kicks feature the words “Love You Momma” written on the outside, and a graffiti graphic of positive messages like “be you”, and “believe” covering the shoe’s upper.
Nike React Hyperdunk 2017
The Big KAT wore the 2017 edition of Nike’s Hyperdunk for most of the NBA’s 2017-2018 season.
From watching him wear these shoes, we learned that he’s a fan of Friday the 13th, Rick and Morty, and Dragon Ball Z among other things.
These shoes feature a Nike React sole which gives great support and bounce to the wearer.
Nike Hyperdunk X Rick & Morty
This isn’t the first pair of shoes featuring the popular adult-themed cartoon characters that Towns has worn. He previously showed off a multicolored version of Nike’s 2016 Hyperdunks, featuring a silhouette of the duo on the sides.
Then in 2018, Boom! Big reveal! Shoes from another dimension! They feature images of Rick, Morty and Pickle Rick.
These cool kicks were also customized by Kickstradomis.
Nike Hyperdunk 2016 Custom Shoe – How KAT Stole Grinchmas
Even if you didn’t watch the basketball games on Christmas day of 2017, you can still see that these kicks are MEAN ONES! So mean that they scared off the Lakers and helped the Timberwolves win the game by 17 points.
Legend is that LeBron’s Christmas presents went missing after the game.
While that’s not exactly true, the Timberwolves did beat the Lakers 121 – 104 and KAT scored 21 points in these bad boys.
Nike Hyperdunk 2016 Eagles Shoe
Did you know that Karl-Anthony Towns is a huge fan of the Philadelphia Eagles?
These custom 2016 Hyperdunks show KAT’s love for the Eagles, team who in 2018, won the Super Bowl for the first time in their history.
The shoes were customized by Kickstradomis.
Nike Hyperdunk 2016 PE
Using his shoes to spread positive messages, Towns wore this pair of customized 2016 Hyperdunks at a charity basketball game in 2017. It encourages love over hate and a zero-tolerance approach to racism.
This fresh, abstract design features an image of a full moon in a starry sky and some hints of green which go well with the Timberwolves kit.
Nike Zoom Rize 2
Karl-Anthony was seen wearing the Nike Zoom Rize 2 during the 2019-2020 season. It was a favorite among the bigger players in the league because of the great cushioning and support it provides.
Don’t be fooled by its bulky appearance, this basketball shoe is pretty lightweight and very comfortable thanks to the light Air Zoom sole, supportive heel, and breathable upper.
Although he’s sponsored by Nike, KAT still doesn’t have a shoe named after him as of 2022, but we can’t wait to see what they’ll come up with for his first signature shoe.
Check out our other shoes basketball stars are repping!
