Navigating the NBA as a young player has its ups and downs. Even the top picks in the NBA Draft have to face some adversity. After being the best player on the court for most of their basketball lives, they are now going up against players on a nightly basis who are as good as they are.
That leads to adjustments needing to be made, which comes with experience. That is the point that Anthony Edwards of the Minnesota Timberwolves has recently reached. The No. 1 overall pick from the 2020 NBA Draft has taken another step in Year 3, but he knows that there is still plenty of work to be done.
Edwards has immense talent, which is why he was selected first overall a few years ago. Now, it is time for that talent to be developed and molded so that he can become the best version of himself. Recently, Edwards caught up with Jake Fischer of Yahoo! Sports and revealed what he believes needs to be done to reach that point.
“Just getting off the ball. I think that’s the biggest thing, accepting it,” Edwards told Yahoo Sports. “Because I still don’t like it. I still think I can shoot through anything or play through anything. But it’s impossible. You gotta get off the ball. That’s the biggest adjustment for me. Just get off of it. Because my mentality, especially in the fourth, I want to shoot every shot.”
Building that trust in teammates is something that can take him. Edwards is certainly improving in that area of his game as his assist percentage has gone up for the second consecutive season. He works tirelessly to improve, listening to and soaking up all of the information that his coaches and teammates share with him.
LATEST NBA NEWS: Anthony Edwards & Minnesota Timberwolves Updates
His development is paramount to the franchise having the kind of success they were expecting when they pulled the trigger on the blockbuster Rudy Gobert deal in the offseason. While that has not yet panned out, Edwards’ presence provides hope.
Veteran point guard D’Angelo Russell believes that Edwards can overcome his self-proclaimed weakness by continuing to put in work in the film room. Watching how teams devise plans to slow him down and countering will help him elevate his performance.
“I think he’s just gotta watch more basketball,” Russell said. “Commit himself to that side where he’s actually watching the game and learning from the game. When he watches film and takes things from film and brings it with him. That’s when you take it to the next level. Obviously you’ve got your skill and your talent and your God-given ability. But there’s levels to it that you get from film and study and commitment to that side of the game.”
LATEST NBA NEWS: Anthony Edwards & Minnesota Timberwolves Updates
Talent and ability aren’t things easily taught. Edwards possesses a ton of both, which gives him a leg up on some other young players around the league. Next up for him is honing those assets and turning them into something that helps him elevate his game to that next level. Admitting his weaknesses and knowing what he has to work on is a good first step toward achieving that.
