Anthony Edwards is one of the most touted prospects in the 2020 draft. He is almost guaranteed to be a top-3 pick this year. However, many scouts have raised questions about his mentality. While at Georgia University, Edwards proved he can hang on the court. However, now we are getting a better look at the man behind the player. Unfortunately, the news till now hasn’t looked promising.
Edwards is definitely a capable basketball player and is still extremely young. He is just 19 years old and has a lot more room to mature and improve on the court. But his pre-draft scouting process hasn’t yielded the best results. While he did dazzle in college, his shot-IQ and intelligence on the court has been heavily questioned.
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"I’m not really into it. I love basketball, yeah. It’s what I do."
– Anthony Edwards on basketball
(Via @XinNBA | h/t @TopBallCoverage ) pic.twitter.com/fAVet9TCK8
— NBA Central (@TheNBACentral) November 18, 2020
ESPN did a piece on Edwards, where it was revealed that he wasn’t really looking to be a basketball player, as his first love was football. He further calls out one of the most respected guards in the league, Damian Lillard, calling himself a better rapper as well.
Anthony Edwards entering the league with question marks
The mentality questions around Edwards are very real. The last prospect that got drafted high with mentality issues is still yet to develop. We are talking about 2014 number one overall pick Andrew Wiggins, whose work-ethic has often been questioned. His career hasn’t progressed past his rookie campaign, where he won Rookie of the Year. Edwards may enter into a similar situation.
Considering what happened with Wiggins, Edwards may be at risk for developing a negative reputation with his approach to the game. While it is appreciated that he is honest about how he got into basketball, acting like the opportunity is no big deal in front of players that dreamed of that moment is obviously disrespectful. Another disrespectful thing is the call-out on Damian Lillard’s rap-career.
In a game where players often have to earn the superficial benefits of stardom, this opening salvo for Edwards is not a good look. However, everyone lives and dies by the ball, so this shouldn’t be an issue if he lives up to his potential.
