Zach LaVine

Karl-Anthony Towns calls Zach LaVine ‘one of the best scorers he's seen in his life'

The Timberwolves center reminisces about playing with the Bulls guard in Minnesota.

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If there is anything Zach LaVine has proven since his earlier days with the Minnesota Timberwolves, it's that he can score the basketball.

Gone are the days of LaVine's limited arsenal. His athleticism and dunk contest abilities were once a crutch for his scoring ability. Now, he's a sharpshooter, a slasher, a transition threat and an elite finisher around the basket. LaVine has a frightening, formidable offensive arsenal.

"He's one of the best scorers I've ever seen in my life," Karl-Anthony Towns, LaVine's former teammate, said on Patrick Beverley's podcast. "I'm a scorer and I have never seen some (of the) s--t that he do."

Towns took a trip down memory lane to when the Timberwolves rostered him, LaVine, Andrew Wiggins, Tyus Jones, Ricky Rubio, and others. Unfortunately, for Towns, the Timberwolves opted to trade LaVine, Kris Dunn and a first-round pick (Lauri Markkanen) to try out Jimmy Butler.

It didn't work.

Nevertheless, Towns was enlightened -- yet somewhat frustrated -- when looking back on his past Timberwolves teams. Since he's been in Minnesota, the Timberwolves have made the playoffs three times and have never made it past the first round.

During LaVine's days, he displayed the raw, athletic talent he possesses. When he came to Chicago, he polished and refurbished his game.

One invaluable trait he added to his skillset is the ability to flip a switch and go on runs. Under high-pressure situations, he learned to compose himself and stay true to his game, even if it meant missing clutch shots.

"He got like no feelings for pressure or nothing," Towns said. "It's just straight bucket work. He don't care."

Towns and Beverley both can exchange notes on LaVine, as both have shared time with him on the floor. The pair shook hands on the fact that LaVine is a "great teammate," which Beverley repeated emphatically. Towns implored fans to respect him and his game.

Indeed, LaVine is a proven commodity in the NBA. The Bulls inked him to a five-year maximum extension contract worth $215 million last summer. Over his five-year career with the Bulls, LaVine holds 24.5 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game on 47.2 percent shooting from the field and a 38.2 percent clip from the 3-point line.

"That motherf----r's cold," Beverley added.

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