Anthony Edwards: 2020 Scouting Report

Anthony Edwards should be the consensus number one pick and will be the perfect fit for Minnesota. 

Bio and Measurables:

Strengths: Anthony Edwards can score from anywhere on the floor, he has legitimate NBA three point range and has the ability to hit difficult shots with defenders crowding his shooting space. As a ball handler Edwards can dribble in traffic and has the ability to elevate and finish above the rim. On the drive, he can finish with both hands and is not afraid to draw contact on the way to the rim. When he draws contact Edwards has no problem going through you or even putting the ball in the basket over you as he is fouled. He also has a nose for getting into passing lanes and intercepting the ball, leading to steals and creating fast break opportunities in the open floor. Finally, even though Edwards does have the ability to shoot in traffic and over defenders he can also create space to generate open shots anywhere on the floor.

Weaknesses: With all of the offensive talent that Edwards possesses he needs to become more selective when shooting the basketball, his shooting percentages were lower than what he was producing on the court because he was forcing up bad shots in the half court. He also has a tendency to want to go 1 on 1 or even 1 on 5, freezing out his teammates to try to get his own offensive game going. Edwards is prone to slow starts and compounds the issue when forcing up bad shots and trying to play hero ball against the other team, he needs to develop discipline when selecting shots. Defensively while Edwards can find himself in passing lanes leading to steals and scores, his defensive effort is not always there. Off-ball you can find him standing straight up while guarding his man and does not have the footwork to recover when his defender ends up with the ball. He has the potential to become a great defender which makes the lack of effort that much frustrating.

External Factors: Externally, there are no real factors that impact Anthony Edwards play or his draft stock off the court.

Medical History: Edwards does not have a history of major injuries. He did deal with a lower body injury (hip) during the season but he played through it and is currently not a cause for concern.

Summary: Edwards is guaranteed to be a top 3 pick and is likely going to be selected first overall in the upcoming draft. He is a gifted athlete with an impressive shooting stroke and the ability to become explosive off the dribble. During his time at Georgia he showed that he had legitimate NBA range from behind the arc and could cut through defenses to finish in traffic above or below the rim. Edwards athletic ability also helps him find himself in passing lanes leading to steals and transition baskets. As someone who can score at all three levels while also being able to create his own shot and space he will immediately become a weapon on the offensive side of the ball. This is not to say his offensive game is perfect, he sometimes finds himself playing one on five and isolating his teammates. When his shot is not falling he needs to find a way to impact the game outside of scoring instead of forcing shots up to try to get himself going. Shot selection is another big factor when moving to the next level for Edwards, who shot lower percentages from the field and from behind the arc because of his shot selection. Furthermore, if he wants to be a two way threat that will be his choice. With great athleticism comes the ability to play both sides of the ball however, at Georgia, Edwards had a tendency to relax on defense and only play when he felt it was necessary. He tends to stand straight up when defending off the ball and with questionable footwork it makes it more challenging to recover. If he is able to gain the necessary discipline on the defensive end, stay low and continue to use his athletic ability going forward, he has the tools to become an elite two way player.