By LARRY VAUGHT

Karl Towns’ parents were delighted when he picked Kentucky, but his father insisted they did not try to influence him.

“We let him pick the place that would fit him and benefit him,” Karl Towns Sr. said. “He knows the system. He knows Calipari. Kentucky has a great kinesiology program, and he likes that. It came down to Kentucky and Duke. We did not pressure him. When Hurricane Sandy hit and we had not power for two weeks, he put all the pros and cons on the board for the schools he liked. But we didn’t know what he was going to do.”

One plus for Kentucky was assistant coach Orlando Antigua.

“There relationship grew. He did not know coach O until the Dominican team, but the way he worked with him and the fundamentals he stressed impressed Karl,” Towns Sr. said. “All the people out there, he grew to know and like. Everyone on that staff had a key in his development last summer. He got the best of both worlds with all those great coaches and a high level education. But he really liked coach O.”

Kentucky fans have also grown to like the Towns Jr. and communicate with him often on various social media.

“The Kentucky fans have been very good and very active on Twitter especially,” Towns Sr. said. “We monitor that. There are certain things he can’t do. But the Kentucky fans have been so gracious. They have responded great. We are looking forward eventually to his transition to Kentucky. It’s going to be a beautiful thing.”