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Minnesota Timberwolves: Anthony Edwards doesn’t win ROTY

By Dylan Jackson

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - MARCH 03: Anthony Edwards #1 of the Minnesota Timberwolves hugs LaMelo Ball #2 of the Charlotte Hornets after the game at Target Center on March 3, 2021 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Hornets defeated the Timberwolves 135-102. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - MARCH 03: Anthony Edwards #1 of the Minnesota Timberwolves hugs LaMelo Ball #2 of the Charlotte Hornets after the game at Target Center on March 3, 2021 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Hornets defeated the Timberwolves 135-102. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /
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The NBA has announced the winner to its annual Rookie of the Year award, and it wasn’t Minnesota Timberwolves’ first overall pick Anthony Edwards.

Instead, it was Charlotte Hornets rookie (3rd overall pick in 2020) LaMelo Ball.

Anthony Edwards was downright incredible this season, and likely would have won Rookie of the Year most seasons. He averaged 19 points, five rebounds, and three assists per game on shooting splits of 42/33/78.

LaMelo Ball, by contrast, averaged 16 points, six rebounds, and six assists per game on shooting splits of 44/35/76. He was one of the Hornets’ best players this season, appearing in 51 total games leading up to the Hornets play-in game loss to the Indiana Pacers.

Truthfully, Anthony Edwards had too slow of a start to the season to win this award, considering how good LaMelo Ball was out of the gate for the Hornets.

Again, Edwards was nothing short of spectacular this season, proving that he could be the second option on a Timberwolves team that also features Karl-Anthony Towns.

The future to both the Hornets and Timberwolves are very bright, with both teams looking to compete for playoff spots as soon as next season.

To say that Anthony Edwards was robbed would be a misstatement. Both Ball and Edwards were deserving – and to tear down one over the other would be regrettable. Edwards could have won the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award over Ja Morant or Malcolm Brogdon – this just happened to be a very strong pool (that happened to contain LaMelo Ball).

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It will be incredibly fun to watch the two players progress throughout their careers moving forward. At the end of the day, the Rookie of the Year award is just that – an award. It’s great to see your players win it – but it does not mean anything, I mean, looking back to 2009 – Tyreke Evans won Rookie of the Year in a class that included James Harden, Steph Curry, DeMar DeRozan, Blake Griffin, and Jrue Holiday.

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