It's been quite a year for NBA star Karl-Anthony Towns.

This week it became official that Towns, the Minnesota Timberwolves 7-foot center/forward, will be playing for the New York Knicks. And in May, KAT -- as he's known -- was named the 2023-24 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion "for his voting rights advocacy as well as his work across the justice and education systems," the NBA said. Towns' advocacy helped pass legislation ensuring formerly incarcerated people in Minnesota could exercise their right to vote.

In an interview weeks before the news of his trade to the Knicks, Towns discussed his professional and personal journey, how his Dominican and Black heritage has shaped who he is today and why his advocacy and philanthropic work are so meaningful.

"To live the American dream, you have to be willing to help others with it," Towns said. "For me to be recognized for what I do off the court is all I've ever wanted to do -- I think that would make my mother more proud than what I've done on the court."

Towns recently announced he's partnering with GO Ministries and World Youth Clubs -- for whom he's a "global ambassador" -- to build a state-of-the-art youth basketball facility in the Dominican Republic, his late mother's homeland.

He also shared his experiences at his mom's birthplace, which have meant so much to him: "Visiting the Dominican Republic for the first time was like getting your first taste of ice cream; it was magical."

He even joked that growing up, he always thought he'd be a baseball player for the New York Yankees, but that was "the Dominican" in him talking, referring to the Caribbean country's famed baseball stars.

But it has all come full circle since he has represented the Dominican Republic in several international basketball championships, including the FIBA Basketball World Cup.

"I'm so happy I can utilize my platform for the betterment of the Hispanic community," he said.

Towns was recently featured in NBC News' Hispanic Heritage feature "The Latino 10: A standout year," which profiled 10 Americans whose work expanded or was recognized with awards in 2024.