Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards Makes Top 10 Debut in NBA Rankings

Anthony Edwards has been on a collision course towards becoming the face of the NBA. With Starting 5 featuring him plenty, and his on-court play continuing to trend upwards, he is more than just a face for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Now he is being recognized amongst the best in the game.

Anthony Edwards ranking puts Minnesota Timberwolves guard in new company

Over the past few days ESPN has been rolling out their list of the top 100 players for the 2024-25 season. Over 150 respondents were polled when creating the rankings, and the Minnesota Timberwolves guard was nowhere to be found among the first 90 names. Edwards ranked 13th last season, and jumps up to 10th overall this year.

“Edwards was the breakout star of the 2024 season with an All-Star appearance, an All-NBA selection and a dominant performance in the playoffs that peaked with a Wolves victory over the defending champion Denver Nuggets in the second round. Edwards averaged 27.8 points on 48% shooting and led the Wolves to their first conference finals since 2004. He then followed it up this summer by playing a key role for Team USA’s gold medal campaign in the Paris Olympics. With the NBA in the midst of an unprecedented run of international players dominating both the MVP race and discussions on the best players in the league, the 23-year-old has an opportunity to grab the mantle as the league’s next best American-born player.”

Jamal Collier on Edwards rising three spots (ESPN)

As Collier notes, the Minnesota Timberwolves are now unquestionably Edwards’ team. There should be a substantial amount of pressure on him with Karl-Anthony Towns out of the picture. Edwards didn’t defer much before, but there is no excuse for him to not always shoulder the load now. Last postseason Edwards displayed a constant level of tenacity. The Timberwolves now need that from him on a nightly basis during the regular season.

Related: 3 Minnesota Timberwolves Under the Most Pressure This Season

If there is an area where Edwards can make arguably the greatest impact, it presents itself when the game is on the line. Fourth quarter scoring, and his ability to close, is part of the next step. Collier touches on this notion as well.

Hot take: Anthony Edwards is already a Top 5 player in the NBA pic.twitter.com/YYUJXB0M6v

— 𝐕𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧 🇮🇱🎗️ (@LakersGuy0) October 14, 2024

“Edwards wants the challenge of taking the most important shots of the game. If his closeout instincts can continue to grow, his game and status as a superstar could reach the next level.”

Jamal Collier on Edwards closing out games (ESPN)

Last year Edwards scored a career-best 25.9 points per game. If he is going to continue to ascend the ranks across the league, and compete for an MVP, pushing that up even further is a must. The Timberwolves have created additional need for scoring, and Edwards can be a catalyst to making it happen.

Related: Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards for MVP?

How Minnesota starts with this new-look roster out of the gate is important. How much Anthony Edwards can assert himself as a leader is imperative. The preseason is over and it all starts to matter on Tuesday.