Anthony Edwards and Jaden McDaniels have a strong connection. They entered the league in the same year and have been teammates for all seven seasons. Likewise, Ant has always been a massive supporter of Jaden, often calling him his favorite player in the league.
And during media day, Ant said he wants McDaniels to be an All-Star this season.
"I definitely want him (McDaniels) to be an All-Star this season," Edwards said. I been saying I want him to be an All-Star this year because he’s that kind of player
Skeptics might point to McDani averaging just 14.8 points last season and scoff at this goal. There's no denying this is a lofty goal, and a lot of things would have to fall into place. However, I think an All-Star leap could be in the cards for McDaniels, especially if the Wolves are one of the league's best teams.
Why Jaden McDaniels could be an All-Star this season
McDaniels impacts winning at an elite level. He guards the opposing team's best player and is highly disruptive off the ball. Offensively, he is coming off a career-best season, but he still clearly has another level to reach. He scaled up in the playoffs, averaging 16.3 points, including scoring 32 in a closeout Game 6 against the Denver Nuggets.
Still, last season, McDaniels' usage rate was just 18.5. All offseason long, the Wolves have discussed empowering him on the ball more this season, and Chris Finch mentioned this again during media day.
"Making sure that his (McDaniels') volume of shots stays high. — He's such a good connector and glue guy — willing to be able to score in a variety of ways. — Alongside LaMelo, he should be able to get shots that are created out of nothing," Finch said.
If McDaniels gets more on-ball reps, I feel confident that he will reach another level. While McDaniels has mostly been used in a scaled-down role, his efficiency bodes well for his ability to scale up. Notably, he posted absurd shooting splits of 51.5/41.2/83.5 last season.
Furthermore, LaMelo Ball's elite playmaking can help ensure a leap. If McDaniels can average around 18 points (which I don't think is out of the picture), paired with his elite defense and importance to a winning team, he could suddenly have a strong All-Star case.
A lot of this will hinge on the Wolves' success, though. If they are the sixth seed again, McDaniels' All-Star chances are slim, regardless of what level he reaches on offense. Edwards is a shoo-in to be an All-Star, and Ball has a strong chance to be an All-Star, assuming he can stay healthy.
Having three All-Stars is rare. We last saw it with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2025, who were the No. 1 seed. They aren't the same players, but Evan Mobley was an All-Star that season; he averaged 18.5 points and played elite defense on an amazing team. That's McDaniels' All-Star path.
Again, though, there won't be an All-Star spot available for McDaniels unless the Wolves are at minimum a top-three seed. Still, the Wolves' ceiling is sky-high, so this could happen. All in all, with another offensive leap from McDaniels and ample team success, Ant's goal for his teammate could become a reality.
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