Rumors

Marc Stein: The NBA will have to replace the injured Giannis Antetokounmpo AND make a ruling on whether Karl-Anthony Towns (who plays for the Dominican Republic internationally) plays as a USA selection or for Team World.

x.com

Towns is in a gray area because he was born and raised in the United States but has represented the Dominican Republic in the Olympics and other competitions. Towns’ mother is from the D.R. According to an announcement last month from the NBA, “If the All-Star voting does not result in the selection of 16 U.S. players and eight international players (which can include American players with ties to other countries if necessary), then NBA Commissioner Adam Silver will select additional All-Stars to join either group to reach that minimum.”

New York Post

Marc J. Spears: KAT donating his $500K to his foundation in the Dominican Republic to help kids.

x.com

Towns has plans to donate his money to help the people of the Dominican Republic. Towns, who was born in New Jersey but plays internationally for the Dominican Republic because of his late mother’s roots, has earned approximately $300 million in NBA salary. “Honestly, I’ll probably give it to the Dominican Republic,” Towns said. “They have ‘Go Sports’, ‘Go Ministries’ over there. I feel very confident knowing the money will go over there and take care of the kids in the D.R. I would love to win so I can give them more money and help the community over there.”

New York Times

Beauchamp is too young and, arguably, too talented for that to be his fate. He is weighing European offers while waiting/hoping an NBA team calls. It’s neither likely, nor impossible, that Beauchamp is available for the next qualifying window, when the U.S. plays two games just north of San Diego against the Dominican Republic and Mexico on the border of February and March. If he should happen to suit up again for the Americans, Beauchamp would continue to exhibit the advice pressed upon him for most of his NBA career to date by a player you may have heard of, two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, who was Beauchamp’s teammate in Milwaukee until the Bucks traded him last February to the Clippers for Kevin Porter Jr. Beauchamp said Giannis “is a big brother to me,” and “he’s the one who told me to be assertive, be aggressive, and every time I get on the floor, I gotta go make something happen.”

New York Times

Former Heat player Norris Cole joined Dominican team Metros de Santiago for the remainder of the 2025 season.

HoopsHype

Myke Henry, a former Grizzlies player, joined Dominican team Marineros de Puerto Plata for the remainder of the 2025 season.

HoopsHype

Former Clippers player Brice Johnson signed with Dominican team Metros de Santiago for the remainder of the 2025 season.

HoopsHype

Ex-Bucks player Larry Sanders joined Dominican team Club Sameji for the 2025 season.

HoopsHype

“We’re all looking at the next generation and enjoying the cookouts in the same backyard with the same basketball hoop I was playing with when I was dreaming of being an NBA player,” Karl-Anthony Towns told The Post. “And for my Dominican culture and my family, it hit me in a way that it’s like, these cookouts that I haven’t been around for, for a decade-plus, I have a chance to make them now.” Towns, a product of Piscataway, never lived in the Dominican Republic. His Spanish is spotty, at best. But the center’s link to the community is powerful and mutual, solidified by a decision to represent the Dominican national team despite overtures from powerhouse Team USA.

New York Post

His mother, Jacqueline Cruz-Towns, died from COVID-19 at just 60 years old in April 2020. She was responsible for not only the Dominican bloodline, but also exposing Towns to the culture that was important to his decision to represent the nation at the 2023 World Cup. Just last month, Towns announced plans to build a basketball facility in his mother’s hometown of Santiago. He called it a tribute to Jacqueline. “She was such an amazing lady. She was wonderful. She is what you would call a true Dominican mom, with all the whistles,” said Felipe Lopez, the former St. John’s star who met the Towns family over a decade ago.

New York Post

Karl-Anthony Towns was born in New Jersey, went to college in Kentucky and has spent the entirety of his NBA career in Minnesota. His roots, however, are in the Dominican Republic. To continue paying homage to his late mother's homeland, Towns announced plans Thursday to help build a state-of-the-art basketball training facility in the country, one where children will get top-notch coaching and access to physical therapy, classroom space, meeting space and more. Groundbreaking in Santiago, Dominican Republic, is set for next year, with plans calling for completion in 2026.

ESPN

Dominican Republic president Luis Abinader awarded Al Horford with the Order of Merit of Duarte, Sánchez, and Mella in the degree of Knight -- the country's highest honor. Horford, who was accompanied by his wife and kids and Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla on his trip home, was overwhelmed with emotions upon receiving the honor.

CBS News

"I knew I was going to come meet the president, but I didn't know I was gonna get the highest award for the country," said Horford. "So, very special for me, very special for my family. I feel very proud right now. Very overwhelmed with a lot of emotion. Very, very special day for me today."

CBS News