Anthony Edwards is spending the run-up to the Minnesota Timberwolves’ season doing more than just getting ready for basketball.
The Wolves are still a few weeks away from opening training camp at Mayo Clinic Square in downtown Minneapolis, and their first preseason game is set for October 5 against the Milwaukee Bucks. Before that arrives, Edwards is stepping into a new lane off the floor with a sketch comedy project tied to his growing profile.
According to an official adidas media release, Edwards has launched a new sketch comedy show as part of the push around his third signature shoe. The series is called MINNATLANTASOTA and is set up as an episodic film project debuting on September 12, with new episodes scheduled for the 5th of each month during the season. It will feature Edwards, adidas athletes, and an ensemble of emerging comedic talent.
“AE continues to lead our mission to be the brand of the next generation,” said Max Staiger, Global General Manager of adidas Basketball. “Each detail of his third signature shoe extends that mindset into product and onto the court. Through disruptive design, advanced materials, and polarizing colors, it embodies his joy and unapologetic confidence for the game.”
Edwards has already been active on the marketing side this offseason. He took part in adidas’ “Believe That” media tour to the Philippines earlier this summer ahead of the release of his AE3 later this month. He’s also spent time working out in France with Rudy Gobert and getting to know multiple new teammates, including new point guard LaMelo Ball.
The basketball side still matters most, of course, and Edwards is coming off the sixth season of his NBA career with numbers that jump off the page. In 61 games, he averaged a career-high 28.8 points, along with 5 rebounds and 3.7 assists.
Health was the issue last season. Edwards missed 21 games because of injuries, and the problem carried into the playoffs when he was hurt there as well. The hope now is that shifting him off the ball more often can help him stay healthier and create cleaner looks at the rim.
That plan depends a lot on Ball’s ability to run the offense and keep defenses occupied. If the setup from head coach Chris Finch and PoBO Tim Connelly clicks, the Timberwolves could be in line for one of their most entertaining seasons yet.
For now, though, Edwards’ latest spotlight is coming from a sketch comedy show that may or may not arrive on schedule.
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