NBA superstar Karl-Anthony Towns says his mother had to be placed on a ventilator and then into a medically-induced coma after she displayed severe symptoms of COVID-19.
The Minnesota Timberwolves center revealed the devastating news in an emotional video late Tuesday night ... saying both of his parents came down with flu-like symptoms early last week.
KAT says he urged the two to go to the hospital, and while he says his dad eventually got better -- his mom, Jacqueline Cruz, didn't ... with her condition "deteriorating" daily.
Karl-Anthony says a fever ravaged her ... with Cruz's 103-degree temp only falling to 101.9 after meds -- and then re-spiking almost immediately after.
KAT, who didn't specifically say his parents had tested positive for coronavirus, says doctors tried all kinds of drugs to get his mom better ... but, eventually, the 24-year-old says her lungs got so bad, she was forced to be put on a ventilator.
Then, KAT says doctors put her in a medically induced coma.
"We always thought the next medicine would help," he said. "The next one would help. This is the one that's going to get it done. This one will make sure to get it done."
Towns says he's optimistic for his mom ... but you can see in the video, he's VERY concerned.
"My mother is the strongest woman I know, and I know she will beat this," he said. "And, we will rejoice when she does."
The NBA player says he made the video this week to explain the virus is VERY real ... and begged people to take stay-at-home orders seriously.
"This disease needs not to be taken lightly," KAT said. "Please protect your families, your loved ones, your friends, yourself."