Since being drafted No. 1 in the 2020 NBA Draft, Anthony Edwards has become one of the league’s most electric players and the driving force behind the Minnesota Timberwolves’ rise. That said, he still has untapped potential, something Kenyon Martin can’t wait to see him fulfill as he chases elite status in the NBA.
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In just five seasons, Edwards has turned raw talent into superstar production, combining power, speed, and swagger that few can match. Every night, he plays like he knows he’s that guy. With Ant leading the way, Minnesota finally has an identity and real playoff hopes.
That said, there are some things that Edwards can still improve upon, especially on the mentality front. This was the topic of discussion during Iman Shumpert’s latest game of Texas Hold’ Em on his All In show on YouTube.
The ex-Cavaliers star admitted that he’s excited to watch Ant again in 2025-2026, but does wish he would fix his back-to-the-basket game.
“I’m so curious what Anthony Edwards has been doing in his workouts. Because if this man learns to play with his back to the basket…oooooo,” stated Shumpert, indicating that Ant would be unstoppable at that point.
One of Shumpert’s guests then responded, “But you hear what he said. He said ‘I got so many years left’ he ain’t even thinking about that right now. He ain’t thinking about establishing that.” This prompted Martin, who was also a guest on the show, to spit some hard truths about how Edwards needs to really build up his mental.
“For me, his mental needs to change. That’s my thing about it. He’s going into year six. So that’s my thing. Just because he’s young, he’s going into year six. And has been successful since he’s been in,” barked the one-time All-Star.
“If he came in being who he is, the #1 pick, and they hadn’t had any team success. I would hear y’all, yes. But they have had team success year in and year out. He hasn’t grown up.” Kenyon did want to be certain that he lauded the young blood for his incredible skills on the court.
“He has all the athletic ability, all the skills, all the dog. He has all of that. But the approach and certain things you hear come out of his mouth.”
Martin has a point. No one will deny that Ant is one of the most skilled players on the court. But his confidence can sometimes cloud his focus. The killer Mamba Mentality that Kobe Bryant had is in there, buried beneath the young kid who’s still enjoying his time in the sun.
Hopefully, this is the year Edwards and Minnesota take that leap. The West is more competitive than it’s ever been. The Rockets have Durant now, the OKC Thunder are roughly the same as last year, and then there are the Warriors, the Nuggets, and the Lakers to worry about.
If Edwards can take Martin’s advice and pair the mental with the physical, Minnesota might just be a force to be reckoned with next season.
