As a basketball player, Anthony Edwards is several things. He’s a freak athlete who puts pressure on the rim. An elite 3-point marksman off the dribble. And on Tuesday night, during the Minnesota Timberwolves’ preseason matchup against the Miami Heat, Edwards demonstrated the ability to be a legitimate 3-level scorer, knocking down several contested mid-range jumpers.
Edwards, 21, already has a vast offensive arsenal. He also possesses the self-awareness to acknowledge that relying on his offensive talents alone this season isn’t enough if he hopes to help lead his team on a deep playoff run. Minnesota lost Patrick Beverley and Jarred Vanderbilt, two of the team’s best on-ball defenders last season, in the Rudy Gobert deal. Therefore, the Timberwolves appear to have a bit of a defensive dilemma on the perimeter. But for Edwards, that couldn’t be farther from the truth.
During media availability last week, Edwards spoke about his role defensively heading into the season.
For those who haven’t spent endless hours watching Ant play, his statement likely wasn’t all that surprising. With both the ability and frame of an elite-level ball-stopper, Edwards looks like he’d be a reliable defender. But those who have often watched Minnesota’s former first-overall pick play know that his defense hasn’t been all that solid.
Dating back to his time at the University of Georgia, Edwards has mostly been labeled a minus defender. Offensively, Ant’s a scoring machine. But his defense frequently leaves his team’s coaching staff perplexed. When guarding away from the ball, Edwards has repeatedly displayed his habit of standing idle while ball-watching rather than his assigned matchup. This allows opposing offenses to consistently score off open jump shots/backdoor cuts, all stemming from Ant’s lack of awareness on D.
But even with his constant ball-watching and missed rotations, Edwards has proven to be a viable point-of-attack defender.
For whatever reason, Edwards is an entirely different level of defender when he’s guarding the lead ball-handler. Using his physicality to body up his matchup, he can keep opposing players away from their desired spot(s) on the floor. And with him reportedly putting on an additional 10 pounds this offseason, it looks like Edwards will be well-equipped to keep even the strongest perimeter players at arm’s length.
Just look at Boston Celtics wing Jaylen Brown. A player with an eerily similar build to Edwards, many regard Brown as one of the best on-ball defenders in the league. Last season, Brown’s ability to change the direction of opposing offensive threats was actually so good that he received recognition during the NBA’s voting for All-Defense team! But like Ant, Brown’s defense away from the ball can often be described as, well:
Edwards may not be a competent defender away from the ball. However, he still has a chance at being recognized as one of the premier offensive stoppers in the league.
Heading into his third NBA season, the expectations for Mr. A1 are parallel to his leaping ability. All summer, talks of Edwards taking the big “third-year leap” have flooded Wolves Twitter. And while Ant needs to improve his skills as a playmaker and mid-range scorer, he’ll also need to take strides defensively if he hopes to become a legitimate superstar someday.
The Timberwolves are looking to compete in a loaded Western Conference, and Edwards will play a pivotal role in his team’s success. Even with him taking pride in guarding the opposing team’s best offensive players, it’s a longshot Edwards will finish on either of the NBA’s All-Defensive teams this upcoming season. But with no Beverley or Vanderbilt on Minnesota’s roster, Ant will get an ample opportunity to show his name belongs on one of those lists.
