NBA Draft: Grading every first-round pick after rookie year
86. . SG. Minnesota Timberwolves. Anthony Edwards. 1. player
NBA Draft: Grading every first-round pick after rookie year: 1. Anthony Edwards
Stats:
- 19.3 points
- 4.7 rebounds
Heading into the 2020 NBA Draft, the number one overall pick was a bit of a mystery. With several names as candidates, the Minnesota Timberwolves ultimately settled on Anthony Edwards. Although the skills were clearly there, Edwards was only 19 years old, and questions surrounding how much he actually liked the game began popping up seemingly every other day.
His career didn’t start off like a traditional number one overall pick. Usually, said player is given a starting spot right out of the gate and the keys to the car. Not only was Edwards not given the keys, he wasn’t even allowed in the front seat. Edwards spent a good chunk of his rookie year on the bench and played solid but not great. Once he paid his dues and earned the trust of his coaching staff, they placed him in the starting lineup and he took off like a rocket.
Seemingly every night, Edwards was scoring a ridiculous highlight-reel dunk. He would routinely put up 30 and 40 point nights against the best defenders in the league effortlessly. His 19.3 points per game were impressive but his numbers are somewhat dragged down due to his early time on the bench. During the last 10 games of the season, Edwards actually averaged 26 points on 51.4 percent from the field and 38.5 from the three-point line.
The Wolves may not have done much winning but Edwards is going to be a star in the league.
Grade: A+