Anthony Edwards (basketball)

Anthony Edwards (born August 5, 2001) is an American professional basketball player for the Minnesota Timberwolves of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Georgia Bulldogs. Listed at 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 m) and 225 pounds (102 kg), he plays the shooting guard position.

Anthony Edwards
Edwards with Georgia in 2020
No. 1 – Minnesota Timberwolves
PositionShooting guard
LeagueNBA
Personal information
Born (2001-08-05) August 5, 2001
Atlanta, Georgia
NationalityAmerican
Listed height6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Listed weight225 lb (102 kg)
Career information
High school
CollegeGeorgia (2019–2020)
NBA draft2020 / Round: 1 / Pick: 1st overall
Selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves
Playing career2020–present
Career history
2020–presentMinnesota Timberwolves
Career highlights and awards
Stats  at NBA.com
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com

Edwards finished his high school career at Holy Spirit Preparatory School in his hometown of Atlanta, where he was rated a consensus five-star recruit and one of the best players in the 2019 class by major recruiting services. As a senior, he earned McDonald's All-American and USA Today All-USA first team honors. He committed to play college basketball for Georgia, becoming the most heralded recruit to do so, and was named SEC Freshman of the Year after his freshman season with the team. He was selected with the first overall pick by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2020 NBA Draft.

Early life

Edwards was brought up in Atlanta, Georgia. When he was three years old, he was given the nickname "Ant-Man" by his father. For much of his childhood, Edwards played football at the running back, quarterback, and cornerback positions.[1] He played youth football for the Atlanta Vikings and became one of the best Pop Warner running backs in the country by age 10.[1][2][3] However, Edwards switched his focus to basketball because he "thought it looked more fun" after watching his brothers play the sport. He often played basketball against his brothers at their grandmother's house. Entering ninth grade, he began training under the guidance of Justin Holland, a former college basketball player for Liberty and an Atlanta-based basketball trainer.[1]

High school career

Due to his success with the Atlanta Xpress 15-under Amateur Athletic Union team, Edwards was considered a four-star recruit by Rivals in 2016.[4] He began playing high school basketball for Therrell High School in Atlanta as a member of the 2019 class.[5] In early January 2017, Edwards transferred to Holy Spirit Preparatory School in Atlanta and reclassified to the 2020 class. He made the move in an effort to improve his academic performance, since Holy Spirit Preparatory had "small class sizes and support to help that."[6]

In March 2018, Edwards helped Holy Spirit Preparatory defeat The Heritage School for the Georgia Independent School Association (GISA) Class AAA state championship.[7] He reclassified back to the 2019 class in November 2018 after seeing academic improvement.[5][8] As a result, Edwards rose to become the number one recruit in the Top247 rankings by recruiting website 247Sports.[9] In his senior season, his team finished as GISA Class AAA runners-up to The Heritage School, despite 27 points from Edwards.[10] At the end of the season, he was averaging 29 points, nine rebounds, and two assists per game.[11] Edwards garnered USA Today All-USA first team and MaxPreps All-American fourth team recognition.[11][12] He played in the McDonald's All-American Game and Jordan Brand Classic in March and April 2019, respectively.[13][14]

Recruiting

By consensus among major recruiting services 247Sports, ESPN, and Rivals, Edwards was rated a five-star recruit, top-five player, and the top shooting guard in the 2019 class.[15][16][17] On February 11, 2019, he committed to play college basketball for Georgia, becoming the program's best recruit in the modern recruiting era.[18][19] Edwards chose the Bulldogs over offers from Florida State, Kansas, Kentucky, and North Carolina.[5] Edwards was drawn to Georgia because two of his favorite players, Dwyane Wade and Victor Oladipo, had been coached in college by head coach Tom Crean.[20]

US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes
Name Hometown High school / college Height Weight Commit date
Anthony Edwards
SG		 Atlanta, GA Holy Spirit Prep (GA) 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 205 lb (93 kg) Feb 11, 2019 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals:   247Sports:    ESPN:   ESPN grade: 96
Overall recruiting rankings:   Rivals: 3  247Sports: 1  ESPN: 4
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

  • "Georgia 2019 Basketball Commitments". Rivals.com. Retrieved January 29, 2019.
  • "2019 Georgia Bulldogs Recruiting Class". ESPN.com. Retrieved January 29, 2019.
  • "2019 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved January 29, 2019.

    College career
    Edwards in February 2020

    On November 5, 2019, Edwards made his debut for Georgia, recording 24 points, nine rebounds, and four steals in a 91–72 win over Western Carolina. It was the most points by a Georgia freshman debutant since Basketball Hall of Fame inductee Dominique Wilkins in 1979.[21] On November 26, he scored a season-high 37 points, including 33 in the second half, and posted six rebounds, four steals, and three blocks in a 93–85 loss to third-ranked Michigan State at the Maui Invitational. Edwards became the first Georgia freshman to score at least 37 points in a game since Jacky Dorsey in 1975.[22] In his final game at the tournament, he led all scorers with 24 points and made the game-winning shot against NCAA Division II team Chaminade.[23]

    On February 1, 2020, Edwards recorded 29 points and 15 rebounds, both game-highs, in a 63–48 victory over Texas A&M.[24] In his next game, he led all scorers with 32 points in an 81–75 loss to Florida.[25] On February 26, Edwards scored 36 points and collected seven rebounds, four assists and four steals, in a 94–90 overtime defeat to South Carolina.[26] As a freshman, he averaged 19.1 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game.[27] Edwards was the top scorer on his team and among freshmen nationally. He earned second-team All-SEC and SEC Freshman of the Year honors.[28] Edwards collected SEC Freshman of the Week accolades four times during the season, the most in program history.[29] He was also one of five finalists for the Jerry West Award, which recognizes the top collegiate shooting guard.[30]

    On March 20, 2020, Edwards declared for the 2020 NBA draft as one of the most touted prospects in his class. He signed with an agent, forgoing his remaining college basketball eligibility.[31]

    Professional career

    In the 2020 NBA draft, Edwards was selected as the No. 1 overall pick by the Minnesota Timberwolves.[32] On December 23, 2020, Edwards made his NBA debut, putting up 15 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists in 25 minutes, in a 111–101 win against the Detroit Pistons.[33]

    Career statistics
    Legend
      GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
     FG%  Field goal percentage  3P%  3-point field goal percentage  FT%  Free throw percentage
     RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
     BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high

    College
    Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
    2019–20[34] Georgia 323233.0.402.294.7725.22.81.3.619.1

    Personal life

    Edwards' mother, Yvette, and grandmother, Shirley, both died from cancer during an eight-month span in 2015, when he was in eighth grade. He has worn the No. 5 basketball jersey since high school to honor them, as they both died on the fifth day of the month.[35] In turn, Edwards was raised by his sister, Antoinette, and brother, Antoine, who shared legal custody over him.[36] In high school, Edwards frequently worked as an instructor at a number of youth camps.[37] He intended to major in marketing while attending the University of Georgia.[38]

    References
    1. O'Donnell, Ricky (January 15, 2019). "The origin story of high school basketball's 'Ant-Man'". SB Nation. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
    2. Jones, Ryan (April 12, 2019). "Anthony Edwards Is Ready For the Next Level". Slam. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
    3. Westerholm, Tom (January 21, 2019). "Anthony Edwards, No. 4 prospect in 2019, honed toughness, intangibles as a football player". The Republican. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
    4. McDonald, Dan (March 12, 2017). "Four-star SG Anthony Edwards making moves". Rivals. Retrieved April 26, 2019.
    5. Krohn, Adam (January 15, 2019). "Life ordinary for nation's top basketball prospect Edwards". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved April 26, 2019.
    6. Neysmith, Horace (March 24, 2017). "Anthony Edwards is a name to remember". AllMetroHoops. Retrieved April 26, 2019.
    7. "Holy Spirit Preparatory boys successfully defend state basketball title". The Georgia Bulletin. March 22, 2018. Retrieved April 26, 2019.
    8. Nutter, Gage (January 21, 2019). "Anthony Edwards' reclassification decision came down to family". The Republican. Retrieved April 27, 2019.
    9. Daniels, Evan (November 20, 2018). "Anthony Edwards reclassifies, is new No. 1 player in Top247". 247Sports. Retrieved April 27, 2019.
    10. Gorman, Doug (February 26, 2019). "Heritage dethrones Holy Spirit". Newnan Times-Herald. Retrieved April 27, 2019.
    11. Divens, Jordan (April 11, 2019). "MaxPreps 2018–19 High School Boys Basketball All-American Team". MaxPreps. Retrieved April 27, 2019.
    12. "2018–19 ALL-USA High School Boys Basketball: First Team". USA Today High School Sports. April 2, 2019. Retrieved April 27, 2019.
    13. "Holy Spirit's Edwards gets McDonald's All-American Games jersey". Marietta Daily Journal. March 23, 2019. Retrieved April 27, 2019.
    14. Armstrong, Megan (April 20, 2019). "Cole Anthony, James Wiseman Win Co-MVP; White Wins 2019 Jordan Brand Classic". Bleacher Report. Retrieved April 27, 2019.
    15. "Anthony Edwards, 2019 Shooting guard". Rivals. Retrieved April 27, 2019.
    16. "Anthony Edwards, Holy Spirit Preparatory School, Shooting Guard". 247Sports. Retrieved April 27, 2019.
    17. "Anthony Edwards". ESPN. Retrieved April 27, 2019.
    18. Adams, Kipp (February 12, 2019). "Where Anthony Edwards ranks among Georgia's all-time recruits". 247Sports. Retrieved April 27, 2019.
    19. Borzello, Jeff (February 11, 2019). "Guard Anthony Edwards opts to stay at home, commits to Georgia". ESPN. Retrieved April 27, 2019.
    20. Polacek, Scott (February 11, 2019). "5-Star SG Anthony Edwards Commits to Georgia; Potential No. 1 for 2020 NBA Draft". Bleacher Report. Retrieved November 26, 2019.
    21. "Edwards debuts with 24 points as Georgia beats Catamounts". ESPN. Associated Press. November 5, 2019. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
    22. "Georgia's Comeback Effort Falls Short in 93–85 Loss to No. 3 Michigan State". University of Georgia Athletics. November 26, 2019. Retrieved November 26, 2019.
    23. Austin, Brooks (November 27, 2019). "Anthony Edwards Hits Game Winning Shot for the Georgia Bulldogs". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved January 6, 2020.
    24. "Edwards Second-Straight Double-Double Powers Georgia over Texas A&M, 63–48". University of Georgia Athletics. February 1, 2020. Retrieved February 6, 2020.
    25. "Georgia Falls at Florida, 81–75". University of Georgia Athletics. February 5, 2020. Retrieved February 6, 2020.
    26. Griffith, Mike (February 26, 2020). "Edwards scores 36 but Bulldogs lose in OT". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
    27. Dortch, Chris (March 20, 2020). "Georgia's Anthony Edwards armed with NBA athleticism, NBA strength". NBA. Retrieved March 24, 2020.
    28. "SEC announces 2020 Men's Basketball Awards" (Press release). Southeastern Conference. March 10, 2020. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
    29. Jackson, Jordan (March 10, 2020). "Anthony Edwards Named SEC Freshman of the Year". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved March 24, 2020.
    30. "Georgia's Edwards finalist for Jerry West Shooting Guard award". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. March 3, 2020. Retrieved March 24, 2020.
    31. "No. 1 prospect Anthony Edwards of Georgia declares for NBA draft". ESPN. March 20, 2020. Retrieved March 24, 2020.
    32. Bontemps, Tim (November 18, 2020). "Minnesota Timberwolves take Georgia's Anthony Edwards with No. 1 pick in NBA draft". ESPN. Archived from the original on November 19, 2020.
    33. Mariano, Paolo (December 23, 2020). "Anthony Edwards on NBA debut: 'It's not that hard'". ClutchPoints. Retrieved December 23, 2020.
    34. "Anthony Edwards College Stats". Sports Reference. Retrieved March 24, 2020.
    35. Daniels, Evan (January 3, 2020). "Self-made man: How Anthony Edwards became an elite NBA prospect". 247Sports. Retrieved January 6, 2020.
    36. Towers, Chip. "Top-ranked prospect Anthony 'Ant Man' Edwards has made his college decision". DawgNation. Retrieved April 26, 2019.
    37. Pourtout, E. Marcel (February 21, 2019). "Bulldog-bound Edwards leading Cougars on another title run". Marietta Daily Journal. Retrieved April 27, 2019.
    38. "Anthony Edwards – 2019–20 – Men's Basketball". University of Georgia Athletics. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
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