The future of the NBA is in tremendous hands. An abundance of young talent, led by the likes of Anthony Edwards, is ready to take the torch from titans such as LeBron James and Steph Curry and run with it.
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Edwards emerged as a superstar representing Team USA at the Paris Olympics. National team head coach Steve Kerr gave the Wolves guard precious advice at the time on how to take his game to the next level.
The new Netflix docuseries, Court of Gold, features a conversation Kerr had with Edwards during the Team USA minicamp. The four-time NBA championship-winning coach praised Edwards’ abilities. However, he advised the three-time All-Star to look to James and Curry for inspiration to propel his career higher.
“You took such a leap last year… and then it translated. You became one of the best players in the league… I’m watching how hard LeBron practices. I’ve seen Steph, both those guys, just all the talking, all the physicality. That’s the next step for you,” said Kerr.
Although Edwards is a Western Conference rival, Kerr wants to see him reach his full potential. The best way he can do that is by studying the work ethic of greats such as LeBron and Steph. Kerr specifically pointed to their approach to communication and physicality. If Edwards can master these traits, it will unlock another aspect of his game, felt the coach.
Despite being one of the youngest players on Team USA’s Olympic roster, the 23-year-old was a mainstay in the rotation. His success in the 2023 FIBA World Cup boosted his confidence too. Edwards transferred that level of play into the 2023-24 NBA season.
During the conversation, Kerr had praised the Timberwolves star for his significant growth.
Has Edwards made another leap this season?
Kerr essentially challenged Edwards to reach new heights for the 2024-25 season. At the time, neither of them had a clue Minnesota would trade Ant’s co-star Karl-Anthony Towns days before the Olympics training camp. But Edwards hasn’t let that derail him.
Edwards has relentlessly worked on his three-point shot. He is one of the most prolific three-point shooters in the NBA now, leading the league in pull-up three-pointers with 3.1 makes per game. He is also taking the most shots in the league at 7.4 attempts per game. At 41.5%, Edwards leads in efficiency as well.
The 6-foot-4 guard hasn’t fully ingrained the physicality into this game, something which Kerr urged him to add. But Edwards has become more communicative.
Kerr’s presence in Edwards’ development through the 2023 FIBA World Cup and Paris Olympics has left an impact on the young star’s game. He has become quite the respectable shooter and has developed into one of the most dynamic offensive threats.
Edwards is still some time away from entering his prime. The fact that he is this good already, though he has yet to fully grasp and implement Kerr’s advice, is a scary prospect for the rest of the league.
