NBA predictions: Karl-Anthony Towns will emerge as league’s leading rebounder

You would be hard pressed to find an athlete who is having a better year than Karl-Anthony Towns in 2026.

Towns helped the Knicks finally end their 53-year NBA title drought in June and became one of the most beloved players to wear the orange and blue in the process.

The 30-year-old superstar added another highlight to his summer when he married his longtime girlfriend Jordyn Woods in a lavish Malibu wedding last weekend.

He should enter this upcoming season with a weight off his back and a more defined role compared to how things started last October. The Knicks reached their zenith when Towns realized his potential as an elite passer and rebounder, which allowed the offense and defense to flourish during their magical playoff run.

While the offseason has been mostly quiet for the Knicks, Towns has a chance to lean even harder into his role next season. I expect his rebounding will be even more crucial given the state of the Knicks’ roster.

The Knicks didn’t retain backup centers Mitchell Robinson and Ariel Hukporti, opting to replace them with the cheaper and older Andre Drummond.

Things may change once the Knicks hit training camp — they still have one roster spot to fill — but as of now, Towns and Drummond are the only centers on the team.

Karl-Anthony Towns (32) pulls a rebound away from 76ers guard Vj Edgecombe (77). Jason Szenes for the New York Post

Drummond is a great rebounder in his own right, but it will be difficult for him to see enough minutes for that to manifest on the floor.

The drop off from Robinson to Drummond on the defensive end will be massive. It’s unlikely we’ll see Drummond on the floor with Towns — Robinson and Towns played just 5.5 minutes per game together in 51 games last season.

Knicks head coach Mike Brown was reluctant to keep Towns on the floor when he got into foul trouble last season and he could get away with it because he had a starting level center in Robinson coming off the bench. If the roster remains the way it is, he won’t have a security blanket at center, which should mean more minutes for Towns.

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Those extra minutes should boost his rebounding numbers enough to finally push him to the top of the league. Towns has finished second in rebounding in his two seasons in New York.

In 2024-25, he averaged 12.8 rebounds, finishing about one rebound short of Domantas Sabonis for the league lead. Last season, he pulled down 11.9 boards and was the runner-up to Nikola Jokic by one rebound per game.

Jokic, who is the favorite at bet365 with +270 odds, will remain his biggest competition.

The Nuggets don’t have a backup center either after waiving Jonas Valanciunas this summer. However, the Nuggets will have to manage Jokic’s minutes after a hyperextended knee kept him out for 16 games, which nearly derailed his chances to make the All-NBA team.

While Jokic is likely to regress a bit, Towns still has some room to grow. I’ll grab him at +750 to be the No. 1 glass cleaner next season.

The Pick: Karl-Anthony Towns regular-season rebounds per game leader (+750, bet365)

Why Trust New York Post Betting

Malik Smith has been immersed in the sports betting industry since 2017. He’s a data nerd with a particular focus on the NBA and combat sports. He spends his weeknights in the winter looking for edges on plus-money NBA player props.