While exercise, food, and sleep are paramount to a good game, fashion also helps many of the players feel their best selves, and Towns is one of several stylish Knicks. (He’s particularly inspired by his teammate Jordan Clarkson’s indelible swagger. “JC does a great job of presenting his personality, his vibe to people through his fashion,” he says.)

As for his own tunnel walk ’fit this evening, Towns still isn’t entirely sure what he’s in the mood for. “A lot of the time, I just go off the vibe of how I feel when I wake up,” he admits. A few hours after our call—after he wakes up from his nap—Towns makes a game-time decision on his outfit: a custom Thom Browne Canadian tuxedo. But Towns was always set on his game-night jewelry: “I’m going to be wearing a Bvlgari watch and a Serpenti bracelet, and then I’ll probably connect that with a ring my wife got me,” he says. Jewelry is often a jumping-off point for Towns, “especially with how much body I have to play with,” he jokes. “You could wear something as simple as a white T-shirt, but if you put it with the right accessories, it looks well put-together.”

Fashion is an expression of sentimentality for Towns, who estimates that he’s collected all of the Knicks championship merch available. But his favorite piece isn’t something fans can get from bootleggers. “I mean, having my Game 5 jersey,” he says, “that’s probably my favorite New York piece for real.”