Anthony Edwards is playing the best basketball of his young career-and he’s doing it with a swagger that now comes with a deeper sense of purpose. In his sixth season with the Minnesota Timberwolves, the 24-year-old has taken a noticeable leap, not just in his scoring-where he’s averaging a career-high 28.7 points per game-but in how he leads.
The numbers are loud, but the evolution in his leadership might be even more telling.
In a recent interview, Edwards opened up about how his time with Team USA over the summer of 2024 helped shape his approach to leading a team. And one name kept coming up: Steph Curry.
“I think probably being with the USA team, just seeing, like, you know, everybody got their own way of leading,” Edwards said. “You gotta learn how to talk to everybody.
Some guys you can be super hard on. Some guys, you gotta pull to the side and talk to them one-on-one.”
That kind of insight doesn’t come overnight. It’s the product of being around greatness and learning not just how to play the game, but how to elevate everyone around you.
Edwards specifically pointed to Curry’s work ethic as a moment that stuck with him. “Probably Curry, no matter what, he always stuck with the work,” Edwards recalled.
“And I think that's what opened my mind to, like, never, never go against the work. Every day after practice, he was always doing the same routine.”
That consistency-the quiet grind behind the scenes-is something Edwards has clearly taken to heart. And it’s showing up in more ways than just the stat sheet.
Watch a Timberwolves game this season, and you’ll notice Edwards in constant communication with his teammates. On the court, on the bench, during timeouts-he’s talking, encouraging, directing.
That’s not just a star player doing star things. That’s a leader growing into his voice.
It’s also showing up in how he handles the media. Edwards has always had charisma, but lately, his interviews have carried more weight. He’s still got that natural charm, but now there’s more intention behind his words-more thoughtfulness about the game, his teammates, and his role in the bigger picture.
And while Team USA didn’t hand him a leadership manual, being around legends like Curry, LeBron James, and Kevin Durant gave him a front-row seat to how the greats carry themselves. That kind of exposure can change a player-and in Edwards’ case, it clearly did.
The Curry connection is especially intriguing when you look at what Edwards has done from beyond the arc. In 2023-24, he shot 35.7% on 6.7 attempts per game.
The next season? He jumped to 39.5% on 10.3 attempts-leading the league in both makes and attempts.
That’s not just improvement. That’s transformation.
And it’s hard not to connect the dots. Watching Curry go through his post-practice routines day after day, seeing that unwavering commitment to the craft-it left an impression.
Edwards didn’t just admire it. He absorbed it.
Now, he’s channeling that same energy in Minnesota. He’s not trying to be Curry, or LeBron, or KD. He’s being Ant-just a sharper, more focused, more vocal version of the player fans already loved.
And with the Timberwolves surging, it’s clear that Edwards’ growth as a leader is more than just a personal milestone-it’s a driving force behind one of the most exciting teams in the league.