While some fans and even a select few New York Knicks executives may have faded on Karl-Anthony Towns' star power over the past several months, the rest of the NBA certainly hasn't.
On Sunday, it was revealed that the big man had been officially selected by the NBA's head coaches to participate in this February's All-Star Game, his sixth nod since entering the league in 2015.
By no means does this accomplishment excuse the 30-year-old for his struggles here in year two with the Knicks. At times, Towns has objectively looked like one of the worst contracts in the association from a pay-for-production standpoint.
However, his poor performances haven't diminished his league-wide status as one of the best talents in the game today when he's locked in, and this recognition from rival coaches only reinforces that notion.
Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns still seen as one of game's best talents
This All-Star selection comes amid a bounce-back stretch of sorts for Towns, as he and the Knicks have been on an absolute tear over the last two weeks.
Following a dismal start to the new year, when New York went 2-8 over its first 10 games, the team has now rattled off a whopping six straight wins, a stretch that has thrust them back into the second seed in the Eastern Conference standings.
Along the way, Towns has been a true force to be reckoned with, as he's seen two separate performances where he's pulled down 20 or more boards while dropping underratedly effective averages of 12.3 points, 13.3 rebounds, and 2.8 assists on 36.8 percent shooting from distance, all while boasting a ridiculous plus-71 plus-minus.
Now, while some may argue that New York's placement in the standings played more of a role in KAT's selection than his individual play, as even coach Mike Brown recently stated that he's "a firm believer that winning should be a big factor" in the voting criteria, it's undeniable that the big man has been one of the driving forces in their successes.
On the year, Towns ranks second on the Knicks in points (19.8), first in rebounds (11.8), and third in total plus-minus (plus-213).
While it's certainly fair to knock the veteran for his on-court lapses at times, it shouldn't completely overshadow the fact that, when he's locked in, there are few frontcourt talents in this league better than KAT.
Needless to say, with how the All-Star voting process played out, the rest of the NBA still rightly views Towns as a high-impact stud.