The Timberwolves struck lottery gold and will pick No. 1 overall. The options here are more fluid than normal — a few different players could appeal to Minnesota. In the end, Anthony Edwards gets the nod. He’s an explosive, strong-bodied guard who can flank D’Angelo Russell and Karl-Anthony Towns on the wing.
Edwards has a lot to prove. Many have questioned his ability to impact winning. He doesn’t always try on defense, and his shot selection at UGA was often subpar. Part of that, of course, is tied to the Bulldogs’ lack of perimeter talent, which meant Edwards was force-fed as many opportunities as he liked.
Minnesota has plenty of offense, and ideally a tertiary scoring role would benefit Edwards early on. He would get to reshape his shot profile and learn how to play off of Towns and Russell. The defense is a concern, but Edwards is a top-tier athlete who has plenty of room to improve as a two-way talent. It’s a matter of effort, not ability.