NBA basketball player Karl-Anthony Towns has been chosen as one of the athletes to be featured in ESPN The Magazine’s annual Body Issue.
Karl-Anthony, 22, is a Forward/Center for the Minnesota Timberwolves, but the athlete admitted to the magazine that he hasn’t always been confident with his body.
‘Growing up, I’d always been told that my biggest weakness was my body, and how that was probably going to hold me back from accomplishing my dreams,’ he said in the issue set to hit newsstands on June 29.
Baring it all: NBA basketball player Karl-Anthony Towns is featured in ESPN’s The Body Issue
High-flying: The seven-foot-tall athlete admitted he wasn’t always confident in his figure
Toned: Karl-Anthony now plays for the Minnesota Timberwolves, and he now says his physique is ‘seven foot of sexy’
He is now putting his body on display for millions after a growth spurt during puberty helped him overcome his body issues.
‘A growth spurt is a challenge for a young child, especially to always be different than the other kids,’ Karl-Anthony said. ‘For me, I just found that as something as if my super power.’
In behind-the-scene images from the revealing photo shoot, the athlete showed off his seven-foot-tall physique while posing outside with a basketball and hoop.
Multiple shots include the athlete jumping high up into the air and demonstrating how he got into the NBA in the first place.
The New Jersey-native played for the University of Kentucky for one year before entering the NBA Draft in 2015. He was selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves as the first overall pick where he has remained since.
Changed perspective: ‘I was that chubby kid, with not the flashiest body, and now I’m able to represent myself,’ he said
Confident: Karl-Anthony said he was proud to display his body in the magazine’s iconic annual issue
Milestone: The star athlete explained during his interview with the magazine why he was proud to be able to represent his physique in the body-positive issue
Strong: The basketball player is joined by other professional athletes including Olympic figure skater Adam Rippon for the new issue out on June 29
Ride: Karl-Anthony posed on a moped with a giant basketball in the back as part of the shoot
Opening up: ‘Growing up, I’d always been told that my biggest weakness was my body, and how that was probably going to hold me back from accomplishing my dreams,’ he said
Speaking out: Karl-Anthony opened up about his relationship with body image in the magazine
Photo session: The athlete posed for photographer Martin Schoeller at the Joughin Ranch in Los Angeles earlier this month
Proud: ‘I’ve never wanted to be regular height. I always wanted to be myself,’ Karl-Anthony said
Attire: The athlete wore a white robe when he wasn’t posing fully nude in front of the camera
Star power: The basketball player was the number one pick in the 2015 NBA draft
The star athlete explained during his interview with the magazine why he was proud to be able to represent his physique in the body-positive issue.
‘I was that chubby kid, with not the flashiest body, and now I’m able to represent myself and my family and all the journeys and the trials and tribulations that I went through to get to this body,’ he said.
‘I’ve never wanted to be regular height. I always wanted to be myself. Now I’m seven foot of sexy—a lot of it.’
The basketball player is joined by other professional athletes including Olympic figure skater Adam Rippon, Seattle Storm guard Sue Bird and New York Giants rookie Saquon Barkley for the 10th annual Body Issue.
The magazine will hit newsstands on June 29, but a gallery featuring all the images will be released online on June 25.