Anthony Edwards is quickly becoming the new face of the NBA; there’s no way around it
Edwards' brilliance may lead the Timberwolves to defeat the Nuggets, but there's a bigger topic in play. Is he going to be the new face of the NBA?
Asking someone, “What determines a superstar in the NBA?” can be a very complex question. An even more complex question is “What determines who is the face of the NBA?” There are multiple metrics to answer these questions, and only a few stars fit the bill. Then there’s the question of if the player has the “clutch gene”, the “killer instinct”, and the “black mamba mentality”.
So let’s get right into it.
Despite the league being packed with stars, Anthony Edwards manages to shine as a true superstar. He consistently works on maintaining and developing a star that he has established. With his exceptional trash-talking skills and prowess in both offense and defense, he has become an elite competitor and a rising star in the advertising world, even being chosen as the face of Sprite’s “Obey Your Thirst campaign” alongside track star Sha’Carri Richardson. Moreover, he possesses the most sought-after basketball footwear in the industry - the Adidas Ae 1s. It may seem like an exaggeration, but the upcoming months have the potential to completely transform Edwards’ life, career, and the future of the NBA. This fact alone brings a sense of satisfaction. Since becoming the number one pick in 2020, he has consistently enhanced different aspects of his game each season. However, in his fourth year, Edwards made significant progress. He improved his free throw percentage by almost 7 points, bringing it to 83.6%. In addition, his productivity and ability to create scoring opportunities have shown improvement (his assists resulted in 1,024 points, slightly lower than starting point guard Mike Conley’s 1,049 points). Edwards has taken charge of a team that hasn’t experienced this level of achievement and enthusiasm since the early 2000s with players like Kevin Garnett and coach Flip Saunders, who later became the team president. Edwards recorded personal bests in various playoff statistics during Minnesota’s matchup against the Phoenix Suns in the first round. To put it plainly, Edwards is no longer on the verge of making it in the NBA. He pays the mortgage here now.
When asked in April on NBA Today how long it would take him to become the NBA’s best player, Edwards didn’t hesitate. “About two or three years,” he said. Edwards’s confidence is Kobe-like or MJ-esque. Nothing seems to get to him, and at the young age of 22, he seems to have the proverbial NBA world on his shoulders.
Edwards exudes a comfortable coolness that goes beyond his basketball skills. At some point in our lives, we have all encountered someone similar to him. He is that co-worker, cousin, college classmate, or friend who has charming self-assurance rather than being intimidating. The presence of these individuals is addictive because of their charismatic aura and confidence. Edwards, a mere 22 years old, leads the Timberwolves’ offense and defense, guiding them to finish as the third seed in the Western Conference. The team is now just one step away from reaching the conference finals for the first time in two decades, with only the presumptive MVP and reigning champion standing in their way.
He isn’t a player without mistakes though, so let’s not get it twisted. Since becoming a professional, he has made plenty of mistakes. Following a challenging defeat, he expressed his anger by throwing chairs and using derogatory language towards the LGBTQ+ community on social media. However, he later issued an apology for his behavior. Nevertheless, there is often a contrast between most 22-year-olds and the individuals who hold leadership positions within organizations. It’s not common for someone to have NBA legend Michael Jordan praising them or openly admitting their determination to “kill” their competition and then successfully doing so, as Edwards just did against Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker. Additionally, it’s rare for individuals in their early twenties to be considered for the prestigious role of representing a multi-billion dollar global sports organization. Despite being on the verge of becoming a superstar, Edwards must tread carefully as the distinction between achieving basketball greatness and becoming a cautionary tale is extremely narrow.
Edwards never fails to amaze us with the chills he gives us during his performances, making it easy to be in awe of him. However, he is merely a man who participates in the beloved game of basketball that millions of fans enjoy observing. When you listen to Edwards speak in interviews you are just blown away by the composure and the coolness he speaks with. Despite his young age, he handles the responsibility of carrying much of the burden for the Minnesota Timberwolves with ease, making him even more likable.
Edwards, with an average of 31.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 2.0 steals, and 3.5 three-pointers in four playoff games this year, guided the Timberwolves to their first series win in two decades. This was the first time ever that the Timberwolves swept a series, and it’s only the second time in their history that they’ve made it past the second round. But, there is one of many things that Edwards has improved on to make him elite in the short time he’s been in the NBA, and it’s that Edwards has a way of reading the game minute by minute that keeps him constantly in attack mode but also able to make sophisticated reads to get off the ball, and when he’s in that mindset the Timberwolves are a team that is near impossible to stop.
To be a Superstar
Anthony Edwards is a rising star on the brink of achieving Superstardom. Scoring 43 points on 17-of-29 field goals, securing seven rebounds, and dishing out three assists to defeat the defending NBA champions in Game 1 is a clear indication of your stardom. When you score 40 points in a series-clinching victory that gets the Timberwolves their first series victory in 20 years — you’re a star. When you’re one of 12 players, at the age of 22, picked to represent your country in the Olympics, you’re a star. Like it or not, he is a star and one of the few stars that can pull off being the face of the league.
Anthony Edwards can no longer escape the truth that he is a star, no matter how much he tries to run from it. Stars have the ability to elevate the performance of their teammates, much like the impact Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant had. The stars on the team expect a higher level of performance from their teammates and can occasionally be seen as abrasive, making sure that everyone is held responsible. The purpose of having a star on your team is exactly that. The presence of one individual adds depth and significance to the lives of others. He possesses a self-deprecating sense of humor. You’ve witnessed all of his interviews. He is the first to offer congratulations and generously share his accomplishments with his teammates. He is adored by everyone. But it’s impossible for anyone with two eyes and a lick of sense not to see a star when they look at Edwards.
“He’s my favorite player to watch,” Durant said of his star pupil after last Sunday’s game. “He’s just grown so much since coming in the league. At 22, his love for the game shines so bright. That’s one of the reasons why I like him the most because he just loves basketball and is grateful to be in this position.
“He’s going to be someone I follow for the rest of his career.”
The league reported that the Wolves’ guard ranked seventh in terms of player popularity on NBA social channels during the regular season. During the initial week of the playoffs, he amassed a staggering 100 million video views on NBA digital platforms, second only to LeBron James.
A video of Edwards dancing his way out of Phoenix’s arena after Game 4 generated 6.6 million views on Twitter.
“He’s the face of the league, I’ve been saying that,” Wolves forward Karl-Anthony Towns said. “He hates when I say it, but it’s true.”
James has been the holder of that title for an extended period. The NBA has revolved around superstars like James, Durant, and Curry. Nevertheless, all of them are now in their late thirties. Curry’s team failed to reach the playoffs, while Durant and James were eliminated in the first round.
When fans, players, and, yes, even owners think of who could possibly even be considered the next face of the NBA, one similarity will always be present: the ability to put your team on your back and just simply dominate the game. Like all the special ones (James, Curry, Durant, Kobe, MJ), they are all depended on in the final moments of a game to shoulder the load. He knows that the game will ultimately be in his hands and the game clock winds down. He knows the game will, at some point, be in his hands. He always feels capable of handling the enormity of the game. He is consistently present, anticipating the opposition’s next move, prepared, and eager to retaliate. Similar to a predatory tiger patiently awaiting its victim, the animal’s instinct. The precise level of intensity displayed by that player brings back memories for NBA analyst and Hall of Famer Charles Barkley, reminding him of Jordan and even the late Kobe Bryant. With a few more wins, he could easily become the first name that comes to mind for basketball fans when they think of the NBA. Immediately after each playoff triumph by the Timberwolves, hordes of fans flock to social media platforms to proclaim their ardent devotion to the team’s emerging superstar.
Now, we await the next chapter of greatness, with anticipation building and eyes wide open to witness Anthony Edwards’s greatness and the stellar moments he will create. His rise to superstardom offers fans yet another reason to rank him at the pinnacle of current NBA stars, solidifying his status as the league’s future face for years ahead.
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