22-year-old Anthony Edwards served the reigning champs, the Denver Nuggets, a gut-punch in Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals. The Timberwolves SG delivered a 43-point dagger and made several key defensive plays during the Wolves’ 106-99 win. This was his second straight 40+ points performance in the postseason, following up his 40 points in the First Round closeout win against the Suns. During a pre-playoffs interview with ESPN’s Malika Andrews, Anthony Edwards declared that he has reached just “40%” of his potential, implying that the best is yet to come.
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After Edwards’ riveting WCSF Game 1 performance, Gilbert Arenas claimed that the T-Wolves superstar has not even reached 40% of his potential at the age of 22. On the contrary, he will need to be at least 25 to unlock 40% of his actual potential.
On Gil’s Arena, the 3x NBA All-Star posited that Edwards is still way removed from his prime. Arenas highlighted that as the 22-year-old unlocks his untapped potential, everything will become much smoother for him. He alluded to Michael Jordan, who during his mid-20s mesmerized the league with his smooth reverse lay-ups and nifty hangtime moves, which looked natural to him. As per Arenas, when the game becomes that easy for the Timberwolves guard, then he would move toward unlocking his full arsenal.
“He’s [Ant] not even playing like he has done really tapped into. When he starts going into the game, Jordan, when he starts doing sh** like this [comically mimics a Jordan move], sh** like, “Aw, this is too easy for him.’’ He hasn’t played like that. He hasn’t even been 40%. You ain’t even going to be 40% when you get 25,” Arenas told his Gil’s Arena co-hosts.
Agent Zero then expressed how LeBron James and Kobe Bryant started to unlock their full potential in their mid-20s. Thus, Edwards will also fall in a similar trajectory and has a lot of mesmerizing moves left in his bag. At any rate, the Timberwolves phenom has already joined Bryant in an elite company.
Anthony Edwards looks pridefully at the Mamba
Ant-Man became just the second player in NBA history to lodge back-to-back 40-point playoff games at the age of 22 or younger. In 2001, Kobe lodged consecutive 40-point performances during the 2001 playoffs. He poured in 48 points in a 14-point win to complete the 4-0 sweep in the Western Conference Semis against the Kings, per Stat Muse. Meanwhile, he lodged 45 points in yet another 14-point win during Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals against the Spurs.
Anthony Edwards has joined Kobe Bryant (2001) as the only players with consecutive 40-point games at age 22 or younger in NBA postseason history.
— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) May 5, 2024
Thus, Edwards has already lodged his name in an exclusive club. During his post-game interview after the WCSF Game 1 win, ANT revealed that his Team USA experience during the 2023 FIBA World Cup provided him with the tools to succeed in the NBA. The interviewer remarked that he has lodged three consecutive games with 35+ points and then asked “What’s gotten into you, sir?”
“Um, nothing, man, I put in work this summer. Big Shout Out to USA team man. They got me ready for this season and I appreciate them,” Anthony Edwards replied.
At the age of 22, he has already put together a historical campaign that is unparalleled in many regards. His terrific play has enabled the Timberwolves to dream about their first Finals appearance in franchise history. If ANT keeps developing at the current rate then his Wolves can be perennial title contenders.
