Why Anthony Edwards is NOT a Bust

Ethan wrote an article stating why he believed Anthony Edwards would end up with an unsuccessful NBA career. I assume he hasn’t watched much of Edwards because his potential as an NBA player is through the ceiling.

This past season at Georgia proved that Edwards did not need to waste time going to the pros. He was born to become a great NBA player. Going into this piece, people will understand why Anthony Edwards is not a bust.

Scoring at the rim

Breaking down his game, Edwards is at his best when he is attacking. I often love to call him the smaller version of Zion Williamson. He thrives when the pressure is on him to make a play. More times than none, the results come in a ferocious jam. Edwards is intelligent at reading into the defense and finding open lanes to penetrate. His size at his position gives him an advantage against your average small forward when in attack mode. He has a great first step when getting a quality look at the rim.

Perimeter shooting

I’ve been highly critical of Edwards’ perimeter shooting. Oftentimes, he takes ill-advised shots that can be unnecessary and can take away his team’s momentum. Edwards shot 40% from the field in his freshmen season at Georgia.

Despite his troubles shooting, Edwards can also be a lethal threat from outside. When allowed a good shot, Edwards takes advantage of them. 

November 26 against Michigan State was a prime example of Edwards being a threat from the outside. This game was a prime example of why Anthony Edwards is not a bust. Edwards knocked down a barrage of three-pointers, and his outside shooting was a considerable contribution to rallying a comeback. Edwards had a lot of pressure on him to attack the offense. He rose to the occasion and put the team on his back. Georgia eventually lost the game, but Edwards’ perimeter scoring played a massive part in the second half. 

Edwards has a lot of room to improve when it comes to outside shooting. But the important thing about him is when he’s on the outside, he always has the defense’s attention. Opposing teams do not look to give him space on the outside because he can get into his rhythm at any moment. When he has his opportunities to shoot, Edwards allows teams to understand that he is not afraid to take shots. 

Defense

Now, Edwards needs to understand that he should put forth more effort on the ball’s defensive side. Many think that he would be a ferocious defender at his position with his speed and athleticism. It seems as if Edwards has not been challenged hard enough to be a threat on that side of the ball. He has shown to grab deflections and block shots from time to time. But the consistency level on defense just has not been there for him. 

The one challenge for Edwards is to be a force on defense. No matter which NBA organization he is drafted by, he will not turn them into a playoff team with just his offense. Edwards is the type of player fans expect to win multiple defensive players of the year awards because of his willingness and gratitude. He must be better defensively as he transitions into the NBA. 

Conclusion

Anthony Edwards is not finished evolving into a tremendous player people expect him to be. As he transitions to the NBA, we will only watch him grow to become a man amongst boys soon. As I disagree with my good friend Ethan, no, Anthony Edwards is NOT a bust! 

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