Gilbert Arenas is back on his podcast pulpit and, surprise, surprise, he’s stirring the pot. This time, the target of his trademark brutal honesty (and not-so-subtle disrespect)? None other than NBA big man Karl-Anthony Towns.
Despite Karl-Anthony Towns helping the Knicks end a 25-year curse by making it to the Eastern Conference Finals, the former NBA star known as “Agent Zero” didn’t hold back. In fact, he went scorched earth. Following New York’s season-ending loss to the Indiana Pacers, Arenas lit up Towns’ defensive struggles and took things to a whole new level with a jaw-dropping comparison.
Gilbert Arenas Flames Karl-Anthony Towns After Eastern Conference Finals Loss
“It’s him. It’s his physical makeup, long legs, short torso, big a** feet. There’s nothing he can do, he’s built like a whole fu**ing bi*ch. He’s built like a female. Am I saying something wrong? He’s built like a girl. He has girl hips,” Arenas said. “He’s like a full WNBA player.”
According to Basketball Network, yes, he really said that., and yes, it blew up. Let’s rewind for a second. Karl-Anthony Towns didn’t exactly have a bad postseason. He averaged 21.4 points per game, stepped up big when Jalen Brunson needed help, and was a major reason the Knicks were even in the mix. During the regular season, he averaged 24.4 points and a career-high 12.8 rebounds, leading New York to the third seed in the East. He wasn’t just surviving, he was thriving. He even bumped up his scoring to 24.8 points per game in the Conference Finals. But the defensive side of the ball? That’s where the wheels came off.
Against Indiana, Towns got exposed. Repeatedly. Despite having a clear size advantage, he got dragged into foul trouble by the Pacers’ bigs and couldn’t hold his ground in the paint. And that, according to Arenas, is where the problem lies, but was calling him a “WNBA player” and saying he has “girl hips” really necessary? Let’s be real, the comparison wasn’t just a critique of Towns’ defensive presence. It was a dig laced with sexism and disrespect. Arenas could’ve stopped at “he’s got a weird build for a center” or “he struggles with physicality.” But no, he went the extra mile to demean KAT by mocking his body and femininity.
It’s not the first time Arenas has made headlines for an out-of-pocket take, but this one felt especially uncalled for. Comparing an NBA star to WNBA players, as if that’s inherently shameful, isn’t just petty, it’s tone-deaf. The WNBA is stacked with elite talent and physicality, and using it as an insult says more about Arenas than it does about Towns.
What Can Karl-Anthony Towns Do To Improve?
Still, what can’t be denied is the root of Arenas’ frustration: Towns has to get tougher defensively. That’s been the knock on him for years. While he’s evolved offensively into a modern-day big who can stretch the floor and dominate inside, his physicality on the other end still hasn’t caught up, and if there’s any silver lining in this whole messy rant, it’s this: motivation. Towns now has the receipts. If he’s serious about taking that next step, if he wants to shed the “soft” label once and for all, this has to be the offseason he transforms.
Because make no mistake, the 2024-25 season had all the makings of a redemption arc. KAT stepped up, proved the doubters wrong, and helped elevate the Knicks back into relevance. But now, the challenge is consistency and dominance on both ends of the floor.
So yes, Arenas’ take was offensive, outrageous, and honestly, over the line. If Towns hears the noise, and knowing how athletes operate, he absolutely will, this could be the fuel he needs. The league’s been warned: A locked-in, pissed-off Karl-Anthony Towns could be a whole different beast in 2025-26.
Emma Taylor 
