NBA Draft 2020: Anthony Edwards Disappoints Franchises with ‘Sluggish’ Performance During His Pro Day

Anthony Edwards is one of the most exciting prospects in this year’s draft. Standing at 6’5, he is a highly touted shooting guard coming out of the University of Georgia.

Edwards has tremendous athleticism and technical skill that makes him sought after. According to many analysts, he is a top-five worthy pick. It will be interesting to see where Edwards lands. Many NBA teams who have high draft picks are scouting him very heavily.

In his only college season with the Georgia Bulldogs, Edwards averaged 19.1 points, 2.8 assists, and 5.2 rebounds per game. However, one of the biggest criticisms of Edwards is his poor shooting beyond the arc. He only shot a mere 29% from the three-point line.

Despite his three-point weakness, Edwards is a major prospect for teams. Edwards is a natural scorer with elite athleticism and adds great value to whichever team he goes to. His mental awareness for the game around him is also one of his major strengths entering the draft.

But Edwards is not a complete package, much like any player in the draft. Edwards is poor when it comes to free throws, averaging just close to 60% from the free-throw line. And as mentioned above, he can improve his three-point shooting.

Anthony Edwards’ Disappointing Pro Day

Despite Edwards’ weaknesses, there is an understanding that he can improve on all these facets and become a top two-position guard in the NBA.

However, now, that understanding may be slightly muddied. ESPN’s Jonathan Givony reported that Anthony Edwards’ televised Pro Day did not leave a good impression on NBA franchises and front offices. He wrote, “Multiple front offices were somewhat discouraged watching Edwards.” According to the report, Edward looked sluggish and inconsistent while playing.

While video footage from the Pro Day suggests that Edwards impressed players such as LeBron James and Anthony Davis, he may have to do a little more to impress front offices to acquire him. Edwards will have the chance to do so with the private workouts he may have with franchises looking to draft him.

If Edwards can impress the scouts, coaches, and front office members during these workouts, it could help solidify his spot. Despite his disappointing Pro Day, Edwards is still projected by many to be a top-3 draft pick along with James Wiseman and LaMelo Ball. This means he could go to the Minnesota Timberwolves, Golden State Warriors, or Charlotte Hornets, all of whom have the first three picks, respectively.