The Minnesota Timberwolves have found themselves right around the .500 mark a quarter of the way into the 2021-22 NBA season and in the heart of the Western Conference playoff picture. The biggest storyline lately has been a surprising hot stretch for a team some believe is over-producing.
Another storyline has been the play of Anthony Edwards, a second-year emerging star who is evolving. Edwards has gone from being a nice piece on the team to showing flashes of his skill set and what could be. Now he’s putting on a show and putting together impressive performances on a nightly basis as he makes a case for being the new face of the organization.
Edwards is taking over in Minnesota and has captivated the fan base. He has been a joy to watch and a personality to match. Is the second-year guard is already the most entertaining player and character in Wolves history? Let’s take a look.
ENTERTAINING On The Court
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft put together a rookie campaign a season ago that many felt earned him Rookie of the Year recognition, only to finish second behind Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball. In his second season, Edwards is putting together an even more impressive sophomore campaign while leading the way for his team.
Going into Wednesday’s game against the Washington Wizards, Edwards is averaging 22 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.6 steals while shooting 42.8 percent from the field and 34.4 percent from three. All of those numbers are improvements from a season ago. Edwards’ game has continued to impress in the previous eight games leading up to Wednesday, with the young guard frequently taking things over to seal the victory for the Wolves down the stretch.
Among the many attributes Edwards carries on and off the court, his ability and entertainment factor are off the charts. Whether it has been his overall skill set, aggressiveness, athleticism, highlight-worthy and clutch playmaking, or a positive and fun personality while on the court, Edwards is unlike anything we’ve seen before in Minnesota.
When comparing him to other players in Wolves history, Kevin Garnett and his entire legendary career in Minnesota initially come to mind. Along with KG, others could include Kevin Love and his skill set displayed as a big man at that time. Ricky Rubio‘s early days with the Wolves wowing the crowd on what seemed like a nightly basis. And Zach LaVine‘s athleticism that created endless highlight-reel moments. There are other noteworthy moments, but those are the players who come to mind.
Like some other players throughout history, Edwards continues to impress, and his performances have continued to improve by the game. Just when we think we’ve seen it all with Edwards, he does something else to further impress. And then, of course, you have the highlight dunks that have fans in the arena oohing and aahing on a nightly basis.
Edwards keeps getting better while becoming the new centerpiece of the Wolves squad. In Year 2, he is already one of the most entertaining players to watch on the court.
Personality Off The Court
Outside of his play on the hardwood, we have also seen the endless joking personality of Edwards off the court and most recently in media availabilities. Although he means business while playing, Edwards is one of the most laid-back and joking individuals off-court, which keeps things entertaining for all.
Usually, when you talk about a player and their personality off the court, that can often mean something negative. But in Edwards’ case, that’s almost the exact opposite. As much as the guy is winning fans over with his play on the court, his personality has endeared him to the fanbase.
We’ve seen some unique personalities among players in Wolves’ history. Most notably, the likes of Garnett, Stephon Marbury, Latrell Sprewell, and Jimmy Butler, to name a few. Although all of those guys were solid players, their personalities outside of game action often brought attention onto the Timberwolves that wasn’t always that welcomed by the organization. The most recent example is Butler’s tenure with the Wolves. We all know how that ended.
With Edwards, it seems like he does something every time he is on camera that makes fans like him even more. There are many examples to point out, from him not being familiar with who new owner Alex Rodriguez was to endless quotes that have spread like wildfire across social media. The latest example of his joking personality happened following Minnesota’s win over the Indiana Pacers on Nov. 29, when Edwards pulled out a flip phone during a post-game media availability after receiving a call.
As the days roll along, Edwards displays endless instances of why he is already one best personalities that we’ve seen. And it’s in a positive way to boot.
Ever since he broke into the league, Edwards immediately started winning fans over with his personality. Now that his play is starting to match that off-the-court entertainment level, he’s quickly becoming the most entertaining player in Wolves history who is a must-watch on a nightly basis.
