Minnesota Timberwolves NBA Draft 2020 Prospect Profile: Anthony Edwards

Anthony Edwards NBA Draft Prospect Profile: Fit with Timberwolves

If this prospect profile sounds familiar, go back and read much of what was written about Andrew Wiggins in 2014. That alone would be enough to excuse Wolves fans from having trepidation regarding the possible selection of Edwards.

Indeed, there are definite similarities between Wiggins’ lone season at Kansas and Edwards’ year at Georgia. Both players are athletic specimens who used brute strength and athleticism to dominate as freshmen in college. Both struggled defensively and had stretches of subpar effort on both ends of the floor while settling for tough mid-range shots and shrinking to the level of their competition far too often.

Wiggins, who was notorious for his lack of contributions on the glass despite his size and athleticism, finished with a higher rebounding rate than Edwards during their respective collegiate careers: 10.4 percent to 9.1 percent. Edwards’ 16.4 percent assist rate dwarfed Wiggins’ mark of 9.2 percent, but that’s about the only area in which the former Bulldog racked up a superior mark.

Edwards attempted about two-and-a-half times more 3-pointers per game but shot only 29.4 percent to Wiggins’ passable 34.1 percent.

The biggest issue, however, is the aforementioned inconsistencies on both ends of the floor, combined with a lack of effort defensively. Disappearing offensively at times and falling in love with tough mid-range jumpers at others is the other plight of Wiggins’ career, and it is a red flag with Edwards’ game.

The idea of Anthony Edwards — a big, athletic wing who can create his own shot and profiles as an above-average defender long-term — would obviously fit the Wolves lineup perfectly. There are no guaranteed starters on the wing for the Wolves, and with Minnesota’s two best players slotting in at the 1 and the 5, a player who could theoretically play the 2 or the 3 at the NBA level could be the missing piece to the Big Three puzzle.

While Edwards’ ceiling is arguably the highest of anyone in the draft, there is a floor that looks more parts Dion Waiters than Victor Oladipo.

That amount of risk with the top selection in any draft is understandably enough to make any team pause, and that’s exactly what Gersson Rosas and the Timberwolves’ front office are doing as they continue to evaluate what direction they’ll go at No. 1.