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Minnesota Timberwolves All-Star Anthony Edwards earned extraordinarily excessive reward from an nameless NBA scout, in keeping with ESPN’s Tim MacMahon.
“Was speaking to some scouts earlier than final nights sport, certainly one of them stated about Anthony Edwards that ‘he is the following Michael Jordan’… He is coming for Giannis crown as the perfect two-way famous person,” MacMahon stated on The Hoop Collective podcast (19:08 mark).
MacMahon famous that when he replied that the comparability was “a little bit of hyperbole,” the scout stated “Yeah, however it ain’t too far off.”
Edwards has gotten off to a scorching begin in 2023, averaging 27.9 factors per sport by means of seven contests.
He is additionally capturing 51 % from the sphere, 43 % from three, and hitting 82 % of his free throws. The Timberwolves have began the yr with a 5-2 file, ok for third place within the Western Convention heading into Friday’s motion.
Edwards’ environment friendly scoring has been excellent, however his defensive vitality has introduced his general sport to new heights. He is taken on the hardest perimeter project every sport, locking down opposing wings on a nightly foundation.
With Edwards taking large strides on the defensive finish whereas Rudy Gobert patrols the paint, the Timberwolves have a 100.4 defensive score this season. That is the perfect mark within the league, in keeping with NBA.com.
A current instance of Edwards’ improved protection occurred throughout Minnesota’s current 114-109 extra time victory in opposition to the Boston Celtics. With the 22-year-old recording 5 fouls, the Celtics repeatedly attacked him in extra time.
He held his personal on the defensive finish, stealing the ball from Jayson Tatum earlier than connecting on three straight photographs to place the sport away.
Minnesota Timberwolves @Timberwolves
there. he. goes. 🐜🐜🐜 pic.twitter.com/ma6Mdiv35u
“He was talkin’ smack on the leap ball at extra time,” Edwards stated, per Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. “And I advised him, ‘(expletive), I am comin’ once more.’ Fortunately, he referred to as me up for an iso and tried to iso me, and I am like, ‘I play protection, I simply obtained 5 fouls.’”
Whereas comparisons to Michael Jordan could also be a little bit of a stretch at this level in his profession, there is not any denying that the previous No. 1 general choose in 2020 has developed into top-of-the-line two-way gamers within the NBA.
