NBA Draft Bio: Anthony Edwards
Anthony Edwards, the Freshman Shooting Guard from the Georgia Bulldogs, has consistently been mentioned as one of the top 3 picks in the upcoming NBA Draft. Below, we dive into how he became a top prospect, his strengths, areas of improvement and overall projection as an NBA player.
Road to the Draft
Edwards, who hails from Atlanta, Georgia, stands 6’5” and weighs in at 215 lbs. As high schooler, he was named to the McDonald’s All-American team & USA Today All-USA 1st Team honors. He entered Georgia as one of its highest recruits in a decade and earned SEC Freshman of the Year in his only year as a Bulldog, with averages of 19.1 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 2.8 apg, on 40.2% shooting. Clearly the most impressive physical specimen in the draft, many NBA executives see him as the obvious top player available in the draft. With plays like these its hard to argue. A mentally strong young man, Edwards wears #5 to honor his mother and grandmother, who both died of cancer within 8 months of each other in 2015. The both died on the 5th of the month.
Strengths
Edwards is
a powerful, explosive wing with length, who has a quick first step and the ability
to bounce off one or two feet and finish at the rim with force. At the
collegiate level, he showed the willingness to get into the paint, and finish
through contact at the bucket. He’s more than capable of creating his own shot
with his incredible athleticism, as well as creating space off the ball through
well timed cuts. While his shot is not technically superb, he showed the ability
to shoot the pull-up and mid-range jumper over the course of the season. One of
the youngest members of the 2020 draft class, there is a room for a ton of
improvement.
Areas of Improvement
While Edwards has all the physical tools to excel on the offensive end, what about defense? He has the strength, length and athleticism to potentially guard 3 positions in the NBA, but at the moment many see his motor running halfway on that side of the ball. This is not a huge knock on Edwards, as many top prospects come into the league without the defensive intensity needed to succeed on the defensive end of the floor. Edwards only shot 40.2% from the field and 29.4% from 3-point range in his one year at Georgia and didn’t make a huge impact on winning, as the Bulldogs finished 16-16, and unlikely to make the NCAA tournament. As a volume scorer, his shot selection left a lot to be desired, as he often settled for the outside shot rather than getting to the rim.
Overall Outlook
Photo Credit: Matthew Maxey/Icon Sportswire
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