While the Minnesota Timberwolves are having an uneven season, Anthony Edwards has been nothing short of spectacular. The 24-year-old superstar is averaging 29.1 points, 5 rebounds, and 3.6 assists. Nevertheless, Ant isn't perfect, nor should he be immune to criticism. I've written about the need for him to be more engaged defensively, something that manifested itself in the worst way during a blowout loss against the Atlanta Hawks, which moved the Wolves to 1-3 in their last four games.
The lasting memory of this game, though, will be Ant storming off the court into the locker room with just under eight minutes in the fourth quarter.
Anthony Edwards threw his towel during a timeout and went to the locker room with 7:52 minutes remaining in the 4th quarter 😬 pic.twitter.com/oIIx7n1l3k
— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) January 1, 2026
A lot can be speculated from this incident. My main takeaway is that Edwards is unhappy with something about the team, and changes are likely to follow. He has the right to be frustrated. However, for your star player and face of the franchise to leave the game prematurely is an awful look, and it reflects a lack of leadership. Edwards also refused to speak to the media after the game.
Edwards' leadership must be better
Head coach Chris Finch had a simple yet powerful message about Edwards leaving the game.
“Obviously frustrated with the performance and rightfully so,” Finch said. “But he needs to stay out on the floor and root for his team.”
It's fair to have criticisms of Finch, but it's hard to argue with him here. The Wolves need Edwards' leadership more than ever, and leaving the game early is unacceptable.
Edwards has openly discussed that he feels like he's grown as a leader, specifically noting how his experience during the 2024 Olympics helped him. His growth as a leader is evident even from a distance, and he is clearly the heart and soul of this team. For the most part, I think Edwards is a good leader.
Even still, there are examples of his immaturity. Leaving the game against the Hawks is a prime example of this, and your best player leaving the court like that can be deflating to a team. After a loss last weekend to the Brooklyn Nets, Edwards remarked, “I guess this is just Timberwolves basketball.”
Frankly, I thought that was an embarrassing quote. Following a loss like that, your team leader should inject confidence and keep his head held high. At the very least, they can't say something so uninspiring. Perhaps behind closed doors, he sent a better message, but there's no denying the optics of this quote were awful. It's easy to be a leader when your team is winning, but real leadership shines when the times get tough.
Edwards is a great player and has shown flashes of being a great leader. Yet the leadership factor must be more consistent -- the Wolves desperately need it to be.