Since being drafted first overall in the 2020 NBA Draft, Anthony Edwards’ stock has risen meteorically. Part of his growth is certainly owed to his trainer, Stanley Remy. The basketball development professional has known Ant-Man since high school and recently, he showered high praise on the two-time All-Star.
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Remy was on SwishCultures’ podcast when he talked about Edwards’ impressive approach to training. “Ant’s probably one of the hardest working dudes I’ve ever been around. One of the most competitive guys that I’ve ever been around. Somebody that works out at game speed the whole time,” shared Remy.
Ant-Man doesn’t phone it in during workouts, he trains at the same pace he would expect to play in the NBA. It’s the kind of approach Michael Jordan had to practices, approaching them with the intensity of an NBA game.
Remy also called Edwards a “no-nonsense type of guy” who “doesn’t come into the gym to play around“. That dedication to their craft is often what separates stars from superstars and it’s a big part of the reason Edwards has improved every season.
The trainer described their workouts as “Every rep has to symbolize a game.” Remy shared how that requires him to do his homework as well and prepare drills that cater to Edwards’ in-game style of play.
He added that the two of them were specially prepared for the Olympics too. As opposed to his role on the Timberwolves, Ant-Man played off-ball more often in Paris. Remy made sure that they had worked on preparing him for the different looks he could expect on the star-studded roster.
Remy’s workouts, paired with Edwards’ dedication have helped the young guard become one of the best young players in the league right now. Interestingly though, it was Golden State’s head coach who gave Ant-Man a nudge to dial up his intensity.
How Steve Kerr’s comments made Edwards a “madman”
Four years before Kerr coached Anthony and Team USA, he was overseeing Edwards’ pre-draft workout. The nine-time NBA champion told the Georgia guard that he “wasn’t working hard enough.”
Not only that, Steve Kerr also taunted Edwards by saying the Warriors wouldn’t draft him if they had the first pick. Thankfully for Minnesota, who did pick him first overall, Ant-Man took Kerr’s comments to heart.
“Me and my trainer riding home after dinner and we’re just talking like we got to pick it up…I don’t know how, I don’t know what we got to do, but we got to pick it up. After that. I became a madman at the gym,” Edwards recalled to ESPN’s Jamal Collier.
Clearly, it worked. During the 2024 Olympics, Kerr could see the dividends of Edwards’ hard work. “He’s unquestionably the guy,” Coach Kerr affirmed. Edwards will be back in action on Saturday, October 5th, against the Los Angeles Lakers.
