Anthony Edwards is 24 years old. He’s played in 423 NBA games over five years with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Still, Edwards is relatively new to the NBA.
However, he is already on to his second signature shoe with Adidas.
His first signature shoe, the AE 1, debuted in 2023 and was a smashing success. From the captivating ad campaigns that Adidas ran, to the slew of different colorways, to all of the highlights that Edwards completed while wearing them, the AE 1s lifted Ant’s star presence around the world. The shoes also solidified him as a PR juggernaut in the NBA.
Two years after debuting his first signature shoe, Edwards’ second, the AE 2s, will release on October 4. He’s already one of the most talked-about stars in the league, and for good reason. Still, Edwards knows he is early on in his NBA development. There’s another step he must take.
Everything about Edwards’ five years in the NBA indicates we’re witnessing only the beginning of something special.
Screenshot of Edwards on Please Explain via Complex YouTube
With gold shades wrapping around his face, diamond hoop earrings dancing on his ears, and a broad smile completing the outfit, Edwards joined the Please Explain show on Complex Sports last week. Aria Hughes asked Edwards where he believes he is in his NBA journey.
“Scratching the surface,” Edwards responded with a smirk. “I don’t feel like I’m all the way there yet, but after this year, I will be. … Just watch and see.”
Edwards and a few members of his marketing and directing crew at Adidas ranked their favorite AE 1 commercials from their favorite to their least.
Everyone — Edwards, Onda (director), Cam Mason (Head of Sports Marketing at Adidas Basketball), and Miles Jackson-Cartwright (Manager of Global Brand Marketing at Adidas Basketball) — agreed their least favorite was last season’s “Scary Good” commercial.
Why was this commercial their least favorite? Because Edwards claimed in it that he was going to have an MVP season, which he ultimately didn’t. Edwards finished eighth in MVP voting, averaging 27.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists on 44.7% from the floor and 39.5% from deep in 79 games. That obviously isn’t anything to scoff at, but Ant didn’t fulfill the proclamation. Not yet, anyway.
“Yeah, I can’t tell any lies,” said Edwards. “I was speaking for the future.”
According to FanDuel Sports, Edwards has the sixth-best odds to win MVP this season. With a few weeks left until the Wolves report to Minneapolis for media day, marking the unofficial start of training camp, this is shaping up to be the most anticipated and hyped-up season of Ant’s career.
The environment around Edwards is set up for him to have another career year because there haven’t been any significant roster changes. Ant has known the tools at his disposal all summer, which has allowed him to plan accordingly.
Along with the AE 2s, Minnesota’s quiet off-season should be the sturdy and supportive sole of Edwards’ season. The marketing for his new shoe will reflect Ant’s mission to join the MVP conversation.
“Absolutely,” said Jackson-Cartwright. “Everything we do, we are trying to meet him where he’s at in his life with his basketball career, and kind of just build something that is the right reflection of that. … We’ve seen him in the gym.
“We’ve obviously had a behind-the-scenes look at what he’s been doing, so we’re confident in what he is going to bring to the table. It’s now just a matter of how do we bring that energy to make sure we are matching the energy he’s bringing on the court.”
The off-season is full of anticipated success. The canvas is blank, allowing players, fans, coaches, and everyone in between to fill it with hopeful drawings. Usually, the hope doesn’t materialize into reality, at least on the scale that it was perceived. However, what makes Edwards and Jackson-Cartwright’s comments different is that Ant is different.
Edwards has stepped up every time he’s challenged himself, and he’s still just scratching the surface. Who’s to say that he can’t leap into the MVP conversation this year?
For that to happen, he must take a step forward. We don’t know exactly what Edwards and Minnesota’s coaching staff have in mind for the areas in which they want to see him succeed in the 2025-26 season. However, two weeks ago, I wrote about why Edwards should focus on consistency from an energy standpoint as he looks to take this anticipated jump.
It’s a challenge for a player who has already done so much, but one that I’m sure Ant is up for.
Edwards loves a challenge. It’s part of why he’s such a captivating player. Entering last summer, he set out to improve his catch-and-shoot three-point shot. All he did was come back and lead the NBA in three-point makes (320) while shooting a career-high 39.5% from deep.
Now, the challenge Edwards is giving himself is of much greater importance. He wants to be in the MVP conversation. He wants to make it out of the Western Conference in the playoffs. Edwards wants to be the one holding the Championship trophy in June.
Edwards wants to do all of that at 24 years old. He’s confident that he will be great for a long time, going deep into the playoffs for as long as he is in the NBA. However, there also appears to be a sense of urgency brewing within Edwards to go as far as possible with a win-now roster that complements him.
The exciting part — it’s totally reasonable to think he will be successful.
Ultimately, Ant is just scratching the surface of his talents, though. For as great as Edwards is — the goals he’s accomplished, playoff and regular season success, and a home run shoe line — this is only the start. Ant knows that, and he’s confident he will take another step this season. On that journey, the AE 2s will support him on the court and reflect his ambitions off it.
