On Monday, the NBA named Anthony Edwards the Western Conference Player of the Week.
So what?
This is Edwards’ first Player of the Week Award in his career, and from the way he has been playing since the start of this season, it will certainly not be his last. Not only was this memorable for the 6’4 forward, but it was also significant for the Timberwolves organization. Ant became the ninth player in Wolves history to receive this award.
The Timberwolves’ Twitter account joined in on the celebration.
https://twitter.com/Timberwolves/status/1724163390111686705
Over the course of those last week’s games, Edwards averaged 31.3 points, 6.8 assists and 6.3 rebounds per contest. That helped the team get to a 7-2 record on a six-game win streak (now seven after last night’s win). Through the first nine, Edwards scored 256 points, making him the Timberwolves player with the highest point total in the first nine games in team history. The support of seasoned players Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert has undoubtedly played a significant role in Edwards’ development.
Edwards has been framing this up since last season. Following his inaugural All-Star appearance last season and maturing over the offseason, he passed the ball more and put trust in his teammates alongside honing his skills.
Did this breakout season have to do with Edwards’ new number? Ant changed his number this offseason from No. 1 to No. 5. He said, “Five has always just been my number.” In response to a question about how he would perform better as No. 5 than No. 1, “A lot of athleticism, a lot more dunks, and just a different level of play because I got my number back now”. It seems like we can say he has taken his game to the next level following his number change.
Looking to the future
When we look at the league standing, Ant is 13th in scoring and 11th for total points. It’s remarkable that he is only 22 years old and has had this much of an impact on his opponents, and what a key player he has become for the Timberwolves. He’s not just defining his game— he’s setting a remarkable example for young talents in the league.
In ESPN’s top 25 under 25 ranking, Edwards was ranked second, also published a day after his 38-point game against the Celtics. Remarkably, this is only his fourth season in the NBA, and he has already achieved recognition as an award-winning athlete.
Ant is an NBA All-Star, NBA All-Rookie First Team member, and All-FIBA World Cup Team member. Now, he can proudly add Western Conference Player of the Week to his list of accomplishments. His future is undeniably bright, and fans have much to look forward to as he continues to hone his skills.
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