Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards is one of a kind. His eccentric personality is a breath of fresh air for NBA fans. Not only is he not afraid of the moment, he shines under the spotlight. As a result, his overwhelming swagger is on display for all to see. However, he wasn’t born with it. Instead, it was something he learned from his grandfather.
Edwards has a very close-knit relationship with his grandpa, Ben Edwards. After all, his grandfather raised him to become the man he is today.
By the time Edwards was only a toddler, his father had already left the family. As a result, his mother, Yvette, raised him and his two siblings as a single mother. They all lived together with Edwards’ grandparents. The family realized his love for sports at a young age and pushed him to be the best he could be.
Unfortunately, in 2015, Yvette passed away due to cancer. Seven months later, his grandmother succumbed to the same disease. It left an irreplaceable hole in Edwards’ heart, and led to the decision to have portraits of the two matriarchs alongside him when he was drafted.
However, he still had his grandfather, who did his best to raise him. Edwards picked up a lot of his character traits from spending time around Ben. In a feature with GQ Sports, Edwards revealed his grandfather is the reason for his swagger.
“I was just sitting around him, soaking up all his game,” Edwards said.
Edwards’ grandfather went viral in December of 2024 due to his attendance at one of his games. The three-time All-Star returned to his hometown of Atlanta to face the Hawks. This marked the first time Ben had attended his grandson’s basketball game since high school.
The reason he went viral was due to his response during a mid-game interview. It didn’t require a DNA test for fans to realize the two were related.
“How can you interview anybody with all this going on?” – Anthony Edwards’ Grandpa Ben pic.twitter.com/83tLlYWkVs
— Timberwolves Clips (@WolvesClips) December 24, 2024
Edwards’ best friend Nick revealed he had the pleasure of meeting Ben. He received real-life advice with some humor sprinkled in. However, he went on to say, “A joke isn’t good unless it has some truth to it.” All of Ben’s jokes had some truth to them.
Although Ben doesn’t physically come out to games, he continues to support his grandson. Edwards has certainly made him proud following Minnesota’s first-round upset against the Lakers. He looks to keep the trend going and make his grandpa proud in the process.
