Anthony Edwards could very well be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.
However, if the Minnesota Timberwolves select the scoring guard, they may be getting a player who truly doesn't love the game of basketball.
In a weird interview with ESPN's Alex Scarborough, Edwards admitted he “can't watch basketball” in his free time and would rather play in the NFL than the NBA.
“To be honest,” he says, “I can't watch basketball.”
He retells the story about the first time he dunked and how it signaled to him that he was talented and could accomplish something he might not have been able to in football, which was his first love. So that's the direction he went, simple as that, hanging up his cleats. “That's all I needed to see,” he says.
So when after that did he get into basketball?
“I'm still not really into it,” he says. “I love basketball, yeah. It's what I do.”
He's not entirely convincing. He says if he were drafted by the NFL tomorrow, he'd let basketball go. “Because you can do anything on the field,” he explains. “You can spike the ball. You can dance. You can do all type of disrespectful stuff.” In the NBA, he says, “you can't do any of that. You'll get fined.”
After Edwards' quote went viral, NBA Twitter reacted to it.
Anthony Edwards won’t be the only player in the league who feels this way… but none of the superstars do. I don’t know Minnesota could justify taking him No. 1 https://t.co/d2834RuACi
— Ryan McCrystal (@Ryan_McCrystal) November 18, 2020
I understand some people aren’t obsessed with basketball like I am but that’s a giant red flag. Will he want to put in the work? Risky 1st pick https://t.co/VRtUtV3wuS
— Dalton (@DKGentry2) November 18, 2020
We need to stop trying to demand a Kobe-like obsession with the game from players. It's not healthy.
Edwards can be into watching football or playing Call of Duty or whatever, so long as he puts in the work on his basketball game. People need to let a 19-year old be 19. https://t.co/dUbf3wO7cF
— Kurt Helin (@basketballtalk) November 18, 2020
Please pre-order my book, Anthony. It may help: https://t.co/fIbtXPzJ0l https://t.co/KtFupYnoRj
— Nick Greene (@NickGreene) November 18, 2020
https://twitter.com/Keyfrom3/status/1329137842015117315?s=20
having read the full espn article on anthony edwards, i … yeah i'd be terrified of drafting him #1
— Nekias (Nuh-KY-us) Duncan (@NekiasNBA) November 18, 2020
Anthony Edwards talking about wanting to play in the NFL so he can celebrate, being an aspiring rapper and calling out Dame for his lack of musical talent. Also says he can't watch basketball.
I mean, that's gotta be up there with some of the worst pre-draft quotes all-time. pic.twitter.com/dy73pdJ2F0
— Joe Tidei (@JoeyRedZone) November 18, 2020
Some people are saying that if the Timberwolves draft Anthony Edwards, they are going to be getting Andrew Wiggins 2.0.
The Cleveland Cavaliers drafted Wiggins with the first overall pick in the 2014 draft and then traded him to the Timberwolves for Kevin Love. While Wiggins won the 2015 Rookie of the Year Award, his work ethic and love for the game has come into question, especially after the whole Jimmy Butler trade drama in 2018.
Edwards averaged 19.1 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists at Georgia. Like Wiggins, he's really talented, but this quote is pretty odd for a guy who could be the No. 1 overall pick on Wednesday.
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