He gets compared to Michael Jordan. He led the Minnesota Timberwolves to back-to-back Western Conference Finals. He is one of the most charismatic and entertaining players in the NBA and only 24 years old.
Anthony Edwards is already one of the best, most electric players in the league, but the path to get there was far from easy.
While most people get their nicknames in high school, college or the NBA, Edwards got the nickname “Ant-Man” from his dad when he was just three. Other than that, Ant’s dad didn’t play a big role in his life. Instead, he was raised by his mother and grandmother.
Edwards had unreal athleticism ever since he was a kid. He was the No. 1 running back in the country at age 10, but switched to basketball because “it looked more fun.” Edwards later suffered a broken left foot, which would be a major setback for many people, but not for Ant-Man.
The injury somehow seemed to add to his athleticism, and from there, Edwards only got better.
Edwards was able to succeed through his athletic ability, but still had a lot of things to work on. He then met someone who would help him get to where he is today. Justin Holland, who saw potential in Ant, pushed him with tough love, the same way his mother and grandmother did.
Holland and Edwards spent numerous hours together in the gym, working on Edwards’ game, and it paid off. Videos show Ant working on his handles and three-point shot with Holland, making it easy to see just how much of an impact the training made.
Then, tragedy struck. On Jan. 5, 2015, Edwards’ mother died of cancer. Later that year on August 5, cancer took his grandmother too. Because of this, Edwards has worn the number 5 throughout his career as a tribute to both his mother, Chrisha Yvette, and grandmother, Shirley.
Edwards led his school, Holy Spirit Prep, to a Georgia State Championship and was a top 5 recruit in the nation. Edwards decided to commit to the University of Georgia, not only because it was close to home, but also because of Coach Tom Crean, who has experience coaching people similar to Edwards’ playstyle.
Edwards had a great year and was named Freshman of the Year in the SEC, playing in his only season for the Bulldogs. The Minnesota Timberwolves saw his talent and took him No. 1 overall in the 2020 NBA draft, which proved to be the best thing that could happen to the organization.
Edwards has been the face of a new era for the Minnesota Timberwolves, leading them to new heights that haven’t been seen since Kevin Garnett at only 24 years old.
