Anthony Edwards’ teammates make it undeniable which direction the Minnesota Timberwolves must follow
There are only a handful of players in the NBA capable of being the face of a perennial contender. This type of player is not only insanely talented on the court but has the gravitational pull that makes teammates want to play alongside them.
For example, Karl-Anthony Towns has all the talent in the world but isn’t a natural leader. On the other side, Austin Rivers is a great leader in the locker room but doesn’t have the on-court production to maximize the credibility of his words.
These players are rare, and Anthony Edwards still has a ways to go, but he’s playing the best basketball of his career, and teammates are making it known this is his team.
The 2022-23 season has been a rollercoaster, even for Timberwolves fans, who have seen far worse. With expectations of being a top-six seed and avoiding the play-in game, seeing the Wolves outside the top-10 in the Western Conference is a tough pill to swallow.
Unlike years past when things collapsed, there is a bright light at the end of the tunnel. As Edwards develops, the ceiling for the Wolves continues to rise.
Veterans’ embracing Edwards as the “franchise player.”
After another tough stretch of games, the calendar flipped to 2023, and the Timberwolves finally had a players-only meeting. Something was off with this group. There was a clear lack of identity, and everyone seemed hesitant to say the obvious.
This is Edwards’ team right now and for the long run. Embracing Edwards as the leader of the Timberwolves is undoubtedly the right move, and players are beginning to make it known.
Since arriving in Minnesota, Rivers has emphasized how much he wants to embrace the veteran leadership role. The players respect him, and his play on the court has helped a ton in recent weeks. When asked about Edwards, Rivers didn’t hesitate to crown him as “the guy” for the Wolves.
Throughout Edwards’ young career, veterans have seen the talent and taken it upon themselves to mentor him. In year one, it was the lighthearted but hardworking Ricky Rubio. In year two, it was a different but effective leader in Patrick Beverley.
Now in the vital third year, Edwards is learning from Rivers, Towns, Kyle Anderson and Taurean Prince – all of who seem more than willing to let Edwards run the show.
Few No. 1 overall picks have been blessed with the leaders Edwards has had. That stuff matters, and he’s embraced being a teachable young player. He’s extremely confident in his abilities, but not at the expense of thinking there is nothing to learn.
At 21 years old, Edwards is accepting the role of “the guy” with open arms and has garnered the respect from all of his teammates.
Hope
The Timberwolves appear to be in the midst of another crisis, as the Rudy Gobert trade is beginning to look like a disaster. If you can clear your mind from all the noise, it’s easy to see why Wolves fans remain hopeful.
Edwards is becoming the type of player everyone wants from their franchise guy. On-court with the game on the line, Edwards has that killer mindset that teammates gravitate towards. When the game is over, fans, media members, and teammates go to him.
We’ve been waiting for the “franchise player” baton to be passed from Towns to Edwards, and that shift may have come with the turn of the new calendar year. The third-year leap is here, and now every move Tim Connelly makes has to center around Edwards.
