Leave it to Crunch the Wolf to drive a wedge between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the family of their franchise center.
According to Michael McCann of SI’s The Crossover on Friday, Karl Towns Sr, the 54-year-old father of reigning Rookie of the Year Karl-Anthony Towns, is considering filing a lawsuit against the Timberwolves for negligence after suffering a significant knee injury in a stunt by the team’s mascot.
The stunt occurred in the second quarter of a home loss to the Indiana Pacers on January 26. The mascot sledded down an aisle in the Target Center during a timeout and lost his balance at the end of the descent, colliding with an empty front row seat that, in turn, struck the right knee of the elder Towns, who was sitting next to the empty seat.
Towns Sr. reportedly suffered “considerable” pain and swelling in the knee. The retired high school basketball coach did wind up staying in the arena until the game was over for fear of affecting his son’s performance with his absence, but he was ultimately brought to a nearby hospital for an MRI.
It’s definitely not the first mascot mishap we’ve seen over the years, but it could certainly prove to be the most costly if a messy legal battle does ultimately ensue between family and team.
