Karl-Anthony Towns Disputes ESPN Report of Offseason Knee Procedure

New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns vehemently denied an ESPN report claiming he underwent an offseason knee procedure, expressing surprise during media day on September 23, 2025. When questioned by Stefan Bondy of the New York Post, Towns responded, "No I did not have a knee — where are you hearing this?" and humorously referenced the fake news account "NBA Centel." The ESPN report by Ramona Shelburne on June 4, 2025, stated Towns had "procedures" for knee and finger injuries after the Knicks' season ended, though its lede mentioned only "treatment." Towns' denial highlights a semantic dispute over the term "procedure" versus "treatment," and the Knicks had not previously corrected the report. Towns is entering his second season with the Knicks after earning third-team All-NBA honors for a 51-win team.