New York Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns is a winner on the court and in trading card auctions.
The former No. 1 pick helped the Knicks clinch their first NBA Finals appearance since 1999, but it was his massive trading card bid that caught the attention of WWE star Cody Rhodes.
Towns purchased a 1-of-1 Topps card of Cody Rhodes featuring an inscription of his famous quote, “He wanted my soul?!”
The reigning WWE Undisputed Champion reacted to the news on his official X account.
Towns’ final bid on the exclusive card has not yet been publicly disclosed, but the Knicks star has been known to pay top dollar for WWE merchandise.
Recently, the Dominican center was outbid for Randy Orton’s WrestleMania 41 patch autograph card, which sold for $42,100 at auction on eBay.
“Thought it was ours for the taking, until a last-minute NUCLEAR bid snuck in,” the Knicks star wrote on X.
“Thought 40k would get it done.”
In May, Towns issued a PSA that he was on the prowl for John Cena’s 1-of-1 WrestleMania 41 patch autograph card.
“If you pull the one-of-one 2026 Royalty John Cena Wrestlemania Patch Auto, The Big Bodega is offering a $60,000 cashout for this card,” said Towns on his Instagram page for his trading cards.
“Happy hunting. You know where to find us.”
Now, after a few narrow auction losses, Towns finally landed a coveted Topps card of WWE star Cody Rhodes.
Knicks Will Compete in First Finals Since 1999
Karl-Anthony Towns’ auction win marks his second major achievement of the week.
The former Kentucky standout was instrumental in the Knicks’ series sweep of the Cavaliers. For New York, it is the franchise’s first NBA Finals berth of the millennium.
Towns averaged 15.8 points, 12.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game during the 2026 Eastern Conference Finals.
Knicks Star Has History with WWE
Towns is not the only Knicks star with a healthy WWE obsession.
All-Star guard Jalen Brunson has publicly expressed his love for the wrestling promotion.
Brunson famously shared an in-ring moment with Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton, where the two guards nearly came to blows.
The incident occurred during an episode of SmackDown in 2024, when wrestler Logan Paul made a grand entrance alongside the Olympic gold medalist Haliburton at Madison Square Garden.
As Haliburton made his way to the ring with Paul, he spotted Brunson in the crowd and approached him.
The Eastern Conference rivals continued jawing before WWE officials separated them.
Following their viral altercation on Smackdown, Haliburton and Brunson were added as playable fighters in WWE 2k25.
WWE Star Reacts to Karl-Anthony Towns’ Massive Purchase of His Rare Topps Card