Minnesota Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns recently said the NBA should remove cannabis from the league’s banned substance list.

In an in-depth interview with ESPN Nick Friedell on Wednesday, Towns and former NBA Commissioner David Stern talked about medical cannabis in sports and mainstream society.

“I think a lot of times fans forget that sometimes there may be some things that are banned that may not be the greatest for playing basketball, but for everyday living off the court, sometimes those things that are legal could help us,” Towns told ESPN. “These guys, just because we’re NBA athletes, we’re not super humans. Some of us have conditions that could use [medicinal cannabis] to our benefit for everyday living, just taking care of our kids and our families.”

Towns said he has never tried cannabis in any form, but his experience from loved ones and own research into the drug have helped him see the benefits of all-natural medicine versus traditional pharmaceuticals.

“My girlfriend has an autistic nephew, and you realize those properties of marijuana can do a lot good for kids and for adults,” Towns said. “The reason I brought that up is because there’s a lot of research that shows medical marijuana has benefits to help autistic children live their lives easier. Not smoking, but the properties of [cannabis] make his life so much easier, and he now feels like a regular kid.”

He added if he wasn’t playing basketball, he would be in the medical field, studying the kinetic movement of the body.

Town’s public stance on medical cannabis is groundbreaking, considering players are usually reprimanded and even suspended if caught using the drug. However, he calls for a more moderate approach when it comes to social cannabis.

“I think it’s about keeping an open mind. You have to understand what the use is for. Obviously recreational use, that’s something more of a personal hobby. But legalization of medical marijuana has helped millions of people’s lives. I know people who have had very bad arthritis and feel much better about daily movement, be able to be with their grandchildren to a better extent,” he said.

Commissioner Silver said he is open to looking at the science behind medical cannabis, but he also made excuses to dismiss the idea of a potential drug policy reform.