Anthony Edwards has put his stamp on the Minnesota Timberwolves, earning praise for his leadership and mentality. Miami Heat legend Udonis Haslem credited the T-Wolves star and called him one of his favorite players right now.
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Haslem, who spent his entire career with the Heat and was hugely responsible for building ‘Heat Culture’, recognizes Edwards’ impact in Minnesota. While appearing on The OGs Podcast, the Heat legend said,
“Right now he’s probably one of my favorite players in the League and Imma tell you why. It’s because that he took Minnesota from where they’ve been to obviously top of the West right now. Anytime you got a guy who can have the other 14 guys on his team embody his energy, his attitude, then you’ve got a real good leader right there.”
The former Heat big man also highlighted Mike Conley’s contribution as a veteran before clarifying that he feels Edwards is the real leader. Haslem credited the 23-year-old guard for positively impacting the team’s play. He said that Edwards has got the team having fun but also focusing on defense and winning.
Edwards himself is a determined leader, unafraid to voice his opinions. But his approach is backed by the determination to improve and the will to win that he shows daily. Edwards’ leadership skills have shined, with clips of him hyping up teammates and offering advice having surfaced from the 2023-24 regular season and playoffs.
All these instances point to Haslem’s claim on Edwards’ leadership proving to be true. As a player who helped build a team’s identity around their grit and determination, Haslem has first-hand knowledge of how Edwards’ infectious energy can positively affect teammates and build their spirits.
NBA analyst Michael Wilbon has also credited Edwards for his leadership. Wilbon praised the 2x All-Star for his audacity, citing the incident where the star guard told Karl-Anthony Towns not to get into foul trouble during last year’s playoffs. It is easy to see that the 23-year-old has become the undisputed centerpiece of the Timberwolves’ future.
Edwards has replaced Towns as the Timberwolves’ future
When Edwards was drafted first overall in the 2020 NBA Draft, it brought up a big question. Who would be the leader of the team? Towns was ascending into superstardom in 2020, with many GMs considering him the League’s best young talent. But over the last 4 years, Ant-Man has completely dominated the narrative through his play.
Edwards’ progression as a player and leader has made him the undoubted top dog on the team. He has earned 2 All-Star call-ups so far and even earned his first All-NBA nod last season. With Towns being traded away, it’s become clear that Edwards is the man that the Wolves are banking on to shape their future.
It will be interesting to see how the team fairs without their star big man. But as Haslem rightly said, Edwards has shaped this team with his determined attitude and winning mentality, paving the way for a great 2024-25 season.
