Karl-Anthony Towns and Kristaps Porzingis are the NBA’s tallest set of friends

For Karl-Anthony Towns and Kristaps Porzingis, it was friendship at first sight.

According Ian Begley’s ESPN article, the big men have been the best of buddies since the 2015 NBA Draft, where Towns and Porzingis were selected first and fourth overall, respectively. While waiting at Barclays Center for their names to be called, Karl-Anthony endeared himself to Kristaps with his top-notch kindness.

“From the beginning, he was a nice guy,” said Porzingis. “We exchanged numbers, and we’ve been talking ever since.”

They’ve also been balling. After impressive rookie campaigns, both Towns (who was the 2015-16 ROY) and Porzingis earned NBA All-Rookie First Team honors. The two friends embody the evolution of the modern NBA big man — able to not only protect the rim, but also score from just about anywhere on the court. For Towns, his friendship with Kristaps is fueled by their shared origin story.

“When you’re in part of the same draft class, you always have a certain connection that not many other people can have with each other,” Towns said, via Begley.

However, Porzingis wasn’t the only pal Towns cemented his relationship with at the 2015 draft. In a video for DraftKings, Towns and D’Angelo Russell reminisced over a photo of the two embracing after being selected first and second overall.

“On the way to the draft,” said Russell while holding up the photo, “we we’re reminiscing. This moment, just, I don’t know, captured it all.”

In terms of the next step in the Towns-Porzingis friendship, the two plan to workout together in the 2017 offseason, with Porzingis hoping to play a “few games of one-on-one” against his 7-foot companion. Though their respective Minnesota and New York home bases make it tough to meet up during the season, Karl and Kristaps do not spend their summers far apart.

Towns is a native of Piscataway, N.J., so Karl-Anthony sees no logistical issues in making the 35-mile trip from his hometown into New York City this offseason. According to Towns, meeting up with Kristaps in the Big Apple would be “very easy.”

Google Maps says the trip should take no more than 52 minutes, so NYC residents may have a Karl-Kristaps dual at the Rucker to look forward to in the summer of 2017.