Towns' parents separable, if only for UK games

NASSAU, Bahamas — If his high school hype and three (albeit exhibition) games here in the Bahamas are any indication, University of Kentucky freshman center Karl-Anthony Towns is going to be a star. Television loves stars and, almost as much, finding a star's proud parents in the crowd.

But it's going to take two cameras and a split screen to get Towns' folks into one shot.

"You'll never see us sitting together. Even in Lexington, we won't sit together. I need freedom to just watch, pay attention," said Towns' father, Karl Sr. "She's just too active. I like to sit there and watch Karl's games and evaluate it, so if he asks me what he did wrong, I can give him a better understanding. When she's there, she likes to do selfies, get up, move, take pictures. So I sit up here by myself."

Just like Wildcats coach John Calipari most of the week, you can find Karl Sr. near the top row of bleachers at Kendal Isaacs Gym for every game in the Bahamas. His wife, Jacqueline Cruz, is closer to floor level and you can't miss her. She's the lady in the No. 12 UK jersey flailing her arms — and often pom-poms — screaming for her baby boy, who is actually 6-11, 250-pound grown man on the court.

"I'm too loud and rowdy and kind of get overwhelmed. (Karl Sr.) is the more calm person," said Cruz, who is fine with the separate-seating arrangement. "I don't want no one to tell me I can't stomp my feet and curse a little bit here and there."

There hasn't been much to bleep about on this trip. Towns' debut with the Cats has so far been impressive. He averaged 13 points and 7.7 rebounds, second-best on the team in both categories, through the first three of UK's six exhibitions here against international competition.

Facing professional players, some of them a decade older than him, Towns is shooting 57.7 percent from the field, averaging nearly two assists per game and has dazzled with dunks, swished hook shots, aggressive work on the glass and a pair of perfect no-look passes that are unusual for player his size.

"Karl is way better than I thought when I saw him in high school," Calipari said. "In high school you saw him (and said), 'He's got a ways to go.' What I'm seeing right now is a very active player that's skilled and runs better than I ever thought he'd run."

Exceeding expectations is a scary thought for a player like Towns, a McDonald's All American and consensus top-five overall recruit in the Class of 2014. He averaged 20.9 points, 13.4 rebounds and 6.2 blocks as a senior at St. Joseph in New Jersey and was named the Gatorade National Player of the Year.

Still, "I really didn't know how gifted of a scorer he is," UK assistant coach John Robic said. "His skill level is really, really high for a young, young, man. He really hasn't shot the ball well — and that's one thing that he can do — but he can score in a variety of ways, and he's just going to be a big piece for us."

Towns actually has 3-point range, another abnormal skill for someone so big, but has missed all five he's tried in the Bahamas. By his estimation, he's played "OK" here so far. He has made 9 of 11 free throws in three games, which to him means he needs to get back in the gym and figure out what went wrong on those two misses.

That mentality comes from Karl Sr.

"He knows he owes me push-ups," said the father, grinning. "We have this thing: If you miss free throws, you gotta do 10 push-ups. He told me he did 'em, but you know how that goes."

Towns doesn't look like he has skipped out on many push-ups lately. His physique is impressive, much more muscular than in his prep days. Towns is strong enough now that when the Puerto Rico Reserves' 7-foot, 250-pound center, 22-year-old Matt Lopez, started pushing Tuesday, the UK freshman pushed right back.

Towns is averaging nearly three offensive rebounds a game in the Bahamas. He's also playing well above the rim — and punishing it.

"His body looks so good after just being (at UK) two months," Karl Sr. said. "I like the way he's adjusted to the game and the speed. I was worried about the transition, but I think people are going to be impressed — and I think people are impressed — that he's not a bad player."

That's an exercise in understatement, and Karl Sr. knows it. He smiled when he said it. Former West Virginia star Da'Sean Butler, who Karl Sr. coached for years in AAU ball in New Jersey, now plays for the French professional team Kentucky throttled on Monday and was less modest in his praise of Towns.

"I've known Karl since he was younger. I'm not surprised how well he's turned out," Butler said. "He'll have a great year this year. He'll leave a great legacy there at the school, even if he's there for a year."

That last part is another reason Towns Sr. prefers to watch his son's games in isolation. He isn't sure how many of these there will be. Chad Ford, ESPN's NBA draft analyst, tweeted on Monday: "If Karl Towns plays like this all year, he's got a shot at the No. 1 pick."

Which means if you see Karl Sr. during a game, don't bother him.

"In high school, I knew he was going to skip a grade, so I lost a year of his high school. And here, you never know. He may be one and done. So I don't want to miss anything," he said. "So if you want to talk to me: Before a game, halftime and after the game, you have my undivided attention."

Kyle Tucker can be reached at (502) 582-4361. Follow him on Twitter @KyleTucker_CJ.