Anthony Edwards doesn’t just believe he’s the best - he plays like it, talks like it, and expects you to believe it too.
Ask him who he’d take in a one-on-one game to 15 - prime Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Kevin Durant? He’ll take himself.
Every time. And he might even predict a 15-0 shutout.
That’s the kind of unshakable confidence that’s fueled his meteoric rise in the NBA.
Now in his sixth season, Edwards is putting together his most complete campaign yet. He’s averaging 29.4 points per game while shooting career highs across the board - 49.5% from the field, 40.9% from three, and 55.4% on two-pointers.
At just 24 years old, he’s already a four-time All-Star and one of the league’s most electric two-way players. But what sets him apart isn’t just the scoring - it’s the accountability.
Edwards knows he’s a problem for defenders - he’ll tell you no one in the league can guard him. But he also knows that if the Timberwolves are going to chase a championship, it’s not just about what he does with the ball in his hands. It’s about what he does when the other team has it.
And that’s where his focus is shifting.
“I think it starts with me,” Edwards said after Minnesota’s win over the Thunder on Thursday. “I pick and choose when I want to defend at a super high level.
And I think my teammates follow. So I think tonight I came out and decided to defend at a high level.
I just got to do that night in and night out.”
That’s the evolution of a star - understanding that leadership isn’t just about highlights and stat lines. It’s about setting the tone.
Edwards wants to be the defensive catalyst for Minnesota, even on a team that already features elite defenders like Rudy Gobert and Jaden McDaniels. He sees himself as the one holding the key - literally and figuratively - to unlocking the Wolves’ best version.
And when Minnesota defends, they’re a different beast.
Against the Thunder, the Wolves forced 14 turnovers, held OKC to just 35% from deep, and kept constant pressure at the point of attack. Edwards was active, engaged, and disruptive - OKC shot just 2-of-10 against him and coughed up three turnovers in his matchups. He also led the team with 26 points on an efficient 9-of-17 from the field, including 4-of-10 from beyond the arc.
That’s the version of Edwards Minnesota needs every night - the one who dominates on both ends and makes life miserable for opposing guards.
But consistency has been the hurdle. The Wolves recently came off a five-game losing streak - their longest since 2022 - and during that stretch, their defensive rating plummeted to one of the worst in the league.
That’s the concern. The ceiling is high, but the floor gets shaky when the defensive intensity slips.
Saturday’s win over a depleted Grizzlies team in Memphis was a reminder of that. Yes, the Wolves scored 131 and had four players drop 20-plus points, but head coach Chris Finch wasn’t impressed. Memphis, missing seven rotation players, still managed to outscore Minnesota 64-40 in the paint and racked up 20 fastbreak points.
“I thought we were soft on the ball,” Finch said postgame. “We need to be like we were on [Thursday against the Thunder].”
Edwards echoed that sentiment. He knows the difference between a win and a statement performance. And Saturday wasn’t the latter.
“I feel like it’s a normal thing to think, as far as a group, like, ‘Oh yeah, we got these guys,’” Edwards said from his locker in Memphis. “Like coach said, ‘We just got to do enough to win.’
But he ain’t happy with that. He’s not satisfied with that, and we shouldn’t be either.”
That’s the internal tug-of-war this team is facing. The talent is there.
The offensive firepower is undeniable. But the defensive identity?
That’s still being forged.
Even in the win, Edwards wasn’t thrilled with his own defensive impact. Memphis shot just 3-of-11 against him, but that had more to do with the Grizzlies’ lack of shotmaking than any lockdown effort from Ant. And he knew it.
When asked postgame about the team’s offensive explosion - Edwards, Julius Randle, Naz Reid, and McDaniels combining for 100 points - Ant didn’t even blink before pivoting back to defense.
“When we got that type of offensive efficiency, it’s more like, we’ve got to bring our defense,” he said.
Asked how they can replicate that performance in the next game, his answer was simple: “Just bringing the defense.”
That’s where the Timberwolves are right now. A team with the tools to make a deep playoff run, but still ironing out the habits that separate contenders from pretenders.
They’ve shown they can lock in against top-tier teams like OKC. But can they bring that same energy in a cold, quiet arena in Memphis when the opponent is short-handed?
That’s the challenge. And Edwards knows it starts with him.
He’s already one of the toughest covers in the league - even elite defenders like Lu Dort and Cason Wallace struggle to contain him one-on-one. Most teams have to throw multiple bodies at him just to slow him down.
But for the Wolves to take the next step, it’s not about how many points Ant scores. It’s about how many he prevents.
And he’s embracing that responsibility.
He’s got the key. Now it’s about turning it - every single night.