
Jordyn Woods And Karl-Anthony Towns: A Look At Their Four-Year Relationship

Jordyn Woods and Karl Anthony Towns' relationship is a living testament to the age-old phrase that true love conquers all. The model and NBA star, who have been together for over four years, have captivated the public and fans alike with their social media posts, lavish lifestyle, and transparency regarding their personal lives.
Throughout their romance, Woods and Towns have showcased a deep appreciation for one another through their unwavering support during their triumphs and tribulations.
These include the star launching her clothing brand WOODS by Jordyn in 2023, the Minnesota Timberwolves center, and his team's elimination from the 2024 Western Conference Finals. This comes after the Minnesota Timberwolves' historic advance to the finals for the first time in over twenty years.
In tribute to Woods and Towns' resilient partnership, xoNecole looks back at their love story.
2020: Woods and Towns Began Dating
The couple started dating in May 2020, years after they met through a mutual friend. Woods and Towns' relationship didn't initially start romantically.
Although the exact timeline of when the pair initially met is unclear, Towns shared in 2021 during Woods' Instagram series Regular-ish that they were friends for a while before it blossomed into something more.
"Me and Jordyn met years ago, knowing common people, and just became friends. And ever since then, our relationship grew where we became more than friends," he said, "I'm not saying in that way, but just best friends. And then we started having a deeper relationship."
Towns added that the challenges they encountered during the global pandemic made the duo evaluate their platonic relationship before taking the next step. In 2020, the basketball player lost eight family members, including his mother, Jacqueline Towns, to COVID-19.
"It just so happened, the COVID came and kind of brought its challenges, and it kind of forced us to either pick where our relationship was going to go as friends or something more. And we chose the latter," he stated.
Woods and Towns’ Relationship Become Instagram Official
In September 2020, a few months into their budding romance, the couple became Instagram official after sharing photos on their respective accounts as they celebrated Woods' 23rd birthday in Mexico.
Woods' post featured the pair posing on the beach in matching Versace swimsuits. In addition to the upload, Woods penned a sentimental caption.
"I found you, then I found me," she wrote. Towns followed suit by posting similar photos and expressing how Woods has positively impacted his life. "There are darknesses in life and there are lights," he said. "You are one of the lights, the light of all lights."
That same month, during an interview with Extra TV, Woods opened up about her relationship with Towns and how the pair bonded over their similarities in life, including losing their parents at a young age.
The entrepreneur’s father, John Woods, passed away in 2017 following a brief battle with cancer.
"I just think that when you find the right one, you can really learn a lot more about yourself. It's about learning to evolve with someone," she said. "The right person will bring a lot out of you. I think that we have been friends for a long time, and naturally, we really connected over the both of us losing a parent at a very young age, so it was a very organic relationship."
2021: Woods Extends Her Support To Towns Following His COVID-19 Diagnosis
In January 2021, Towns revealed on his social media platforms that he had tested positive for COVID-19 and planned to follow every protocol as he attempted to regain his health. In the upload, the NBA star explained how this diagnosis had affected his immediate family after losing loved ones to the virus.
"It breaks my heart that my family, and particularly my father and sister, continue to suffer from the anxiety that comes along with this diagnosis as we know all too well what the end result could be," he wrote. "To my niece and nephew, Jolani and Max, I promise you I will not end up in a box next to grandma, and I will beat this."
Immediately after his posts, Woods took to her respective Twitter account to support Towns.
"Praying for you babe. I know you're going to pull through. God's got you and your most powerful guardian Angel up there," she said while referring to Towns' mother.
Towns Praises Woods For Holding Him Down
Following his recovery from COVID-19, Towns took to his Instagram story to shout out Woods for her love and guidance as he overcame various hardships.
"My woman has held me down more than the world knows. From my mother and family members dying (1 on her bday in Cabo), getting hit by a drunk driver (was 2pm in the afternoon FYI) in LA this Off-Season and staying with me in the hospital for the night and helping me in rehab, to this stint with COVID she has been there with me every step of the way and stayed ten toes down," he wrote.
The Minnesota Timberwolves forward added that his love for Woods had deepened as she had seen him through those moments. "My love for her knows no bounds and I would be remiss if I don't acknowledge the power a good woman can have in your life," he stated. "Men, treat your woman like a Queen so she can treat you like a King."
Woods and Towns Shut Down Cheating Allegations
In March 2021, Towns was accused of cheating on Woods with an unidentified woman after screenshots of an alleged conversation between the NBA star and the individual began to circulate online.
Woods immediately cleared up the rumors on Twitter by informing fans not to believe everything they read online.
"So crazy how someone can make fake screenshots and send it to blogs and y'all believe it my relationship is more than solid and I put that on everything," she wrote. Towns weighed in on the allegations on his Twitter account by denying any wrongdoing.
"So I got the baddest girl in the game and you think I'm gonna waste my energy with anyone else gtfoh," he said. "Same haters we got now are gonna be the same ones we have when I put that ring on her finger."
Woods and Towns Celebrate Their First Year Anniversary
In May 2021, Woods and Towns commemorated their first year anniversary in Saint Lucia.
Woods shared a series of photos from their vacation that displayed the decorations that were plastered around their hotel room and the gift she received for the special occasion, a Hermès Birkin bag.
Towns Defends Woods From Body Shamers
Later that year, Towns stood ten toes down for Woods when she faced backlash online after posting a before-and-after weight loss photo to promote her fitness app.
As speculators claimed that the star's slim figure was due to cosmetic procedures and not diet and exercise, Towns fired back on Twitter in a series of posts denying the plastic surgery accusations.
"I've SEEN the hard work and I've seen the results and trust me, this is all natural. Since she was 10 years old, people been calling this woman vile things because of her weight and instead of letting the Internet run her life, she went out the put the damn work in and changed her whole life. FITNESS SAVED HER LIFE!" he said.
The basketball player also professed his admiration for Woods' willingness to rise above the hate she receives on social media. "I love you babe,” he added. “Every day you make me so proud to call you my Girl, my Queen, my Rock, my everything."
Towns Opens Up About How Woods Helped Him Deal With The Loss Of His Mother
In an appearance on Taraji P. Henson and Tracie Jade's Facebook Watch talk show Peace of Mind with Taraji in October 2021, Towns explained that he felt his late mother, Jacqueline Towns, had a hand in his relationship with Woods because it began shortly after her passing.
"A woman that meant so much to me in my life left my life to be replaced by another woman who took that spot," he said. “I feel, in a way, when my mom passed, she's like, 'I'm not going to leave you alone. I'm going to make sure you know who you are supposed to be with.'"
Further into the conversation, the basketball player disclosed that he leaned on Woods for support during that trying moment in his life because she experienced a similar hardship.
"You know she lost her father four years ago, I believe, he added. “So I leaned on her because she's one of those only people who actually knew how I was feeling and what I was going through."
2022: Woods Denies Pregnancy Rumors
In January 2022, Woods and Towns found themselves in the rumor mill once again. This time, social media users were alleging that the couple could be expecting their first child after Woods uploaded a miniature Nike shoe box photo. After receiving numerous comments regarding her pregnancy status, the model shut down the allegations on her Instagram story.
"It was a gift card box. And no I don't want kids right now nor am I pregnant," she said. "I've been wearing baggy clothes because it's cold AF!!!"
Woods Cheers Towns On After Timberwolves Wins Game On A Significant Day
A few months later, in April 2022, Woods celebrated Towns' and his Minnesota Timberwolves teammates' victory against the Los Angeles Clippers by sharing an Instagram post. In addition to the upload, the star highlighted the importance of the date they won.
"This moment was so special to us because today is the 2 year anniversary of Jackie passing,” she said. “I know how tough it's been doing all of this without her so proud of you @karltowns … it's deeper than basketball!!"
Woods And Towns Celebrate Two-Year Anniversary
The following month, Towns surprised Woods with a getaway trip to Mexico in honor of their anniversary.
In an Instagram post, the model shared that the NBA star took her to the same resort where President John F. Kennedy and his wife, Jackie Kennedy, spent their honeymoon.
Woods’ upload also showcased the many activities the couple participated in, including a dinner on the beach, couples massage, and lavish gifts.
Towns Finances Woods Businesses For Her 25th Birthday
In September of that same year, on her 25th birthday, Woods revealed on her Instagram story that Towns had funded two of her prospective businesses by sharing a heartfelt note he wrote.
The note read, "To My Birthday Girl, Happy 25th Birthday! After this, you get to say you 18 every year like your moms lol … I know every year I have showered you with material gifts that people wish they could to (King S—) but this year, your 25th year walking this earth, it's time to go from that girl to a full woman. You pick two businesses you want to start, and I will fund them. It's time to take that next step in this thing we call life. Te Amo Mucho, let's take over the world…together. Love, KAT."
Alongside the photo, Woods shared in a caption why this gift was extremely sentimental to her. "He knows how hard I have been working on these projects, and this is the last step," she wrote. Although it has yet to be confirmed if the funds were used, Woods' clothing line was one of the businesses she opened shortly after.
2023: Woods Shares The Key To Her Successful Union With Towns
In late 2023, Woods disclosed during an interview with PEOPLE magazine that her relationship with Towns was a success because they were genuinely friends first.
"Friendship and trust,” she said. “We were really good friends before we started dating, and COVID gave us that free time to really get to know each other."
Woods added that their union grew stronger over the years because they have overcome so much together. "We've been through a lot together,” she stated. “We've seen each other at all different ways, times, phases, so I think we have a very strong foundation.”
February 2024: Towns Raves Over Woods
During the 2024 NBA All-Star Weekend, Towns gushed about Woods during his conversation with PEOPLE magazine and explained the importance of having a good partner.
"She is truly special to me. You know, with my mom and my sister, I’ve seen the impact that good women have on men’s lives,” he said. “I'm just blessed that I saw that firsthand before I got with Jordyn so that I could learn to appreciate her."
May 2024: Woods Celebrates Towns After Timberwolves NBA Playoffs Victory
The Minnesota Timberwolves made history in May 2024 when they progressed to the Western Conference Finals after defeating the Denver Nuggets in a seven-series game.
This event was monumental because this was the team's first time going to the finals in twenty years. Woods basked in the moment by praising Towns on Instagram for his resilience.
"Couldn’t be happier for this team and most importantly Karl," she wrote "He has overcome so much adversity to get to the point in his career, let alone knee surgery earlier this season. I am so proud and in awe of him."
On May 21, Woods and Towns celebrated four years together. In honor of the special day Woods uploaded a video collage of their adventures over the years with a song she wrote.
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Adrian Marcel On Purpose, Sacrifice, And The 'Signs Of Life'
In this week's episode of xoMAN, host Kiara Walker talked with R&B artist Adrian Marcel, who opened up, full of heart and authenticity, about his personal evolution. He discussed his days transitioning from a young Bay Area singer on the come-up to becoming a grounded husband and father of four.
With honesty and introspection, Marcel reflected on how life, love, and loss have shaped the man he is today.
On ‘Life’s Subtle Signals’
Much of the conversation centered around purpose, sacrifice, and listening to life’s subtle signals. “I think that you really have to pay attention to the signs of life,” Marcel said. “Because as much as we need to make money, we are not necessarily on this Earth for that sole purpose, you know what I mean?” While he acknowledged his ambitions, adding, “that is not me saying at all I’m not trying to ball out,” he emphasized that fulfillment goes deeper.
“We are here to be happy. We are here [to] fulfill a purpose that we are put on here for.”
On Passion vs. Survival
Adrian spoke candidly about the tension between passion and survival, describing how hardship can sometimes point us away from misaligned paths. “If you find it’s constantly hurting you… that’s telling you something. That’s telling you that you’re going outside of your purpose.”
Marcel’s path hasn’t been without detours. A promising athlete in his youth, he recalled, “Early on in my career, I was still doing sports… I was good… I had a scholarship.” An injury changed everything. “My femur broke. Hence why I always say, you know, I’m gonna keep you hip like a femur.” After the injury, he pivoted to explore other careers, including teaching and corporate jobs.
“It just did not get me—even with any success that happened in anything—those times, back then, I was so unhappy. And you know, to a different degree. Like not just like, ‘I really want to be a singer so that’s why I’m unhappy.’ Nah, it was like, it was not fulfilling me in any form or fashion.”
On Connection Between Pursuing Music & Fatherhood
He recalled performing old-school songs at age 12 to impress girls, then his father challenged him: “You can lie to these girls all you want, but you're really just lying to yourself. You ain't growing.” That push led him to the piano—and eventually, to his truth. “Music is my love,” Marcel affirmed. “I wouldn’t be a happy husband if I was here trying to do anything else just to appease her [his wife].”
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You Don’t Have To Choose: How Black Women Can Care For Others Without Self-Sacrifice
One of the primary instructions we receive before a flight takes off is to prioritize putting on your life vest first if there’s an emergency, even before assisting others. It’s funny how this rule rarely translates to the daily routine of women.
As women we are taught, directly and indirectly, to put others first. Whether it’s our romantic partners, kids, parents, friends, or even our jobs. Mental health survivor and founder of Sista Afya Community Care, Camesha Jones-Brandon is challenging that narrative by using her platform to advocate for Black women and their right to self-care.
Camesha created the organization after her struggles with mental health and the lack of community she experienced. The Chicago native explains how she created Sista Afya to be rooted in “culturally grounded care.”
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“So at my organization, Sista Afya Community Care, we focus on providing mental health care through a cultural and gender lens,” she tells xoNecole. “So when we think about the term intersectionality, coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw, we think about the multiple identities that lead to certain experiences and outcomes as it relates to Black women.
“So in the context of culturally grounded care, being aware of the cultural history, the cultural values, and then also the current issues that impact mental health outcomes.”
Words like “strong” and “independent” have long been associated with Black women for some time and many of us have begun to embrace the soft life and are using rest as a form of resistance. However, some of us still struggle with putting ourselves first and overall shedding the tainted image of the “strong, Black woman” that had been forced on us.
Camesha shares that while there’s more and more communities being created around empowerment and shared interests like running, she still questions, “are Black women really comfortable with being vulnerable about sharing their experiences?”
Being vulnerable with ourselves and others play an important role in healing the instinctive nature of always being “on” for everyone. “I'm currently facilitating a group on high functioning depression, and yesterday, we talked about how when Black women may be struggling or have shared their concerns with other people. They may be minimized, or they're told to just be strong, or it's not so bad, or I went through something worse back in Jim Crow era, so you should be thankful,” she explains.
“So I think there's a challenge with Black women being able to be honest, to be vulnerable and to receive the support that they need in the same capacity as how much they give support to other people. So that is probably a very common theme. I think we've made a lot of progress when we talk about the superwoman syndrome, the mammy stereotype, the working hard stereotype, the nurturing stereotype. I think we're beginning to unpack those things, but I still see that we have definitely a long way to go in that area.”
I think there's a challenge with Black women being able to be honest, to be vulnerable and to receive the support that they need in the same capacity as how much they give support to other people.
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While we’re unpacking those things, we know that we’re still women at the end of the day. So as we continue to serve in various roles like mothers, daughters, sisters, and caretakers, we have to make caring for ourselves a priority. Camesha reveals four ways we can still care for others without abandoning ourselves.
Trust
First things first, trust. Camesha explains, “Some of the burdens that Black women have can be linked to not feeling like you can trust people to carry the load with you.
“It's hard because people experience trauma or being let down or different experiences, but one of the things that I found personally is the more that I'm able to practice trust, the more I'm able to get my needs met. Then, to also show up as my best to care for other Black women.”
Know Your Limitations
Another thing Camesha highlighted is Black women knowing their limitations. “The other thing that I would like to bring up in terms of a way to care for yourself is to really know your limitations, or know how much you can give and what you need to receive,” she says.
“So often, what I see with Black women is giving, giving, giving, giving, giving to the point that you're not feeling well, and then not receiving what you need in return to be able to feel well and whole individually. So I really think it's important to know your limitations and know your capacity and to identify what it is that you need to be well.”
Don’t Take On A Lot Of Responsibilities
Next on the list is not taking on so many responsibilities, sharing herself as an example. “The other thing is taking on too much responsibility, especially in a time of vulnerability.
“One thing that I personally struggled with was being so passionate about community mental health for Black women, and saying yes to everything and taking on so much responsibility,” she reveals. “That affected me to do well in serving Black women and then also impacting my own well being.”
Practice Self-Care
Lastly, she notes the importance of practicing self-care. “The last thing is really practicing regular self care, regular community care, so that it's embedded into your daily life. So for me, having prepared meals, going to the gym, getting eight hours of sleep, spending time with friends and family, all of those things are part of my self care that keep me at my best,” she explains.
“Then community care, leaning into social networks or social groups, or spending time with other interests or hobbies. That's a part of my community care that keeps me going, so that I can take care of my needs, but also to be able to show up best in care for others.”
Find out more about Camesha and Sista Afya Community Care at communitycare.sistaafya.com.
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