The 2025-2026 NBA season will be the sixth year for rising superstar Anthony Edwards. And while Ant has been one of the most exciting players in the league to watch, there’s always room for him to improve.
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This was the topic of discussion on today’s edition of the NBA on ESPN broadcast. Reporter Dave McMenamin broke down a conversation he had with Timberwolves assistant coach Chris Hines, and how Hines is going his best to educate Edwards on the small details that can improve his game.
How is Hines doing that? Well, by showing him clips of Hall of Fame talents like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. McMenamin was sure to mention how Hines knows that Edwards is talented, but hopes that he studies His Airness and the Mamba to build on the weaker aspects of his game.
“Chris told me that he worked on teaching him about the history of the game. ‘We know you can score, we know how great of an athlete you are. But watch these clips of Kobe. Watch these clips of Michael Jordan. See how they read the defense when they collapse on him late in the shot clock,'” began McMenamin.
“He’s trying to add the play making piece to the offensive repertoire. If he gets that I mean, the sky is the limit.”@mcten on Anthony Edwards’ growth entering his sixth season in the NBA ✍️ pic.twitter.com/LnbZpN6jG1
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) August 5, 2025
It already seems like that work is paying off. McMenamin pointed to a specific moment in this past year’s playoffs, where Ant chose to find the open man on a double-team rather than be the hero himself.
“We saw it pay off in the playoffs. First round against the Lakers, Game 5, the clincher on the road, it’s the hardest game to win. Double-team comes late, finds Mike Conley in the corner, Conley cashes it, and they move on to the next round.”
It’s always cool to see a player progress in real time, and few have done it so efficiently as Edwards. The 24-year-old gets a lot of credit for his swagger and charisma, including his now-famed interaction with President Barack Obama from Court of Gold. But if youre’ watching closely, the Ant Man is also becoming a dealy force on the court.
That said, it hasn’t been an overnight success. “It’s been a constant process for him though,” added McMenamin, who recalled a game during the 2024-2025 season when Edwards went 0-6 in crunch time, causing his team to lose.
Regardless of that solo poor performance, the NBA reporter is confident that Ant will figure it out in the long. “He’s trying to add the playmaking piece to the offensive repertoire. If he gets that, I mean, the sky is the limit.”
LeBron James is also impressed with how much Edwards’ game has grown
Sometimes, an analyst saying these statements doesn’t hit as hard as when a colleague speaks it. And there is no better colleague in the NBA than LeBron James.
The King had Edwards on his mind during a recent episode of Mind The Game. The four-time NBA Champion and future Hall of Famer wasn’t just impressed, but proud to see the steps Edwards had made in his career thus far.
“Now I see Ant taking that next step. It’s a proud feeling for me as a player who has been in the league for so long,” stated LBJ. “He’s improved so much with his playmaking, and you’ve seen him make the jump just from last year’s playoff run to this one.”
James would know too. His Lakers were on the wrong end of a gentleman’s sweep against Ant and the Wolves in the first round of the 2025 postseason. “I commend him,” added The King. “He just grew throughout our series. That I think is gonna benefit him throughout the rest of this (postseason) run.”
The real question is, will Ant be ready to take the leap? He’s led the Wolves to two straight Western Conference Finals appearances, falling short to the Mavericks and the Thunder in those runs. Is 2025-2026 the year of the Antman?
