If the Minnesota Timberwolves are doing so well in the NBA, it’s thanks to young Anthony Edwards. At only 22 years old, he first became the face of the franchise where Rudy Gobert also plays, and intends to embody the future of American basketball in a period where European stars are multiplying. Last night, his team won Game 2 of the Western Conference semi-final against the defending champions, the Denver Nuggets (106-80).
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Number 1 of the 2020 Draft
The Wolves, who had the first choice in the Draft, may have seen their destiny change on November 18, 2020 when they chose Anthony Edwards. The guard is coming off a college season with an average of 19.10 points. In Minnesota, the graft takes immediately. A first season at 19.30 points, a second at 21.30 then 24.60 and finally 25.90 this season.
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Beyond the statistics of Anthony Edwards, the only player selected for the 2023 World Cup who is part of the Dream Team sent to the 2024 Olympics, the Atlanta native has a style reminiscent of a certain Michael Jordan. Much more smiling but just as provocative, like this black look addressed to Reggie Jackson just after scoring for which he took a technical foul that was ultimately canceled. “Ant impressed me a lot. He impressed me so much… He’s my favorite player. He’s grown so much since he came into the league. At 22, his love for the game shines brightly,” dubbed Kevin Durant just after being beaten 4-0 by Edwards in the first round of the playoffs.
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A style (too) difficult to defend
Because his style is so tiring for his opponents. If he doesn’t have a place inside, he can shoot from afar, with talent since he has a 43% success rate in this exercise in these playoffs.
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And when he can’t shoot from afar, his 102 kg of muscles (for 1.93 m) clean up the racket where his mid-distance finesse or his power wreak havoc. A two-person take? That’s leaving Karl-Anthony Towns, Mike Conley or Rudy Gobert alone. ” He is incredible. He is a relatively dangerous player. He has a lot of talent and can do absolutely whatever he wants, he has everything you need in his arsenal.”said Nikola Jokic, against whom he planted 43 points to allow the Wolves to take the first game of the conference semi-finals.
It’s not for nothing that Minnesota has already decided to give him a five-year contract worth $205,900,000. Ian Mahinmi, consultant on Bein Sportsalready sees in him “a candidate for MVP next season”. By then, perhaps he will have won his first NBA championship title. And to think that he is only 22 years old…
