With Team USA preparing for the Olympics in just a few short weeks, one name to keep an eye on during competition is Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards. With many talented players on the team, it's hard to judge who should be the top scoring option. Anthony Edwards made the case for himself as Team USA's top option, a claim seemingly backed up by Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown.
Jaylen Brown took to social media to comment on a post from Anthony Edwards solidifying his belief that Edwards should be the team's top scoring option at the Olympics. Brown posted, “#1 option 100,' on a photo of Edwards during Team USA practice.
Fresh off winning a championship and Finals MVP, Brown had his own brush with Team USA recently when they passed him over for the open roster spot available following Kawhi Leonard's departure. Instead, Brown's Celtics teammate Derrick White was selected to fill the vacancy.
This is Edwards' first time participating in Olympic competition. Last offseason, Edwards was member of the group that failed to medal at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup. Edwards was the No. 1 scoring option for that team with 18.9 points. He was also named to the All-FIBA World Cup Team.
During Team USA's recent scrimmage this week against Canada in Las Vegas, Edwards came off the bench but was the team's leading scorer with 13 points. He shot 6-of-10 from the field and also finished with three rebounds, one assist and one steal.
Anthony Edwards can use Olympics as springboard for 2024-25 season
Looking forward to the 2024-25 NBA season, the Timberwolves appear to be legitimate Finals contenders. They are coming off one of their best seasons in franchise history that saw them advance to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2004. They ultimately fell to the Dallas Mavericks in five games.
The Wolves lost a key bench player in NBA free agency in Kyle Anderson, but they added a key veteran in Joe Ingles. They also had a strong draft with Rob Dillingham and Terrence Shannon Jr.
But the number one factor in the Wolves ceiling next year is the continued rise of Anthony Edwards. Playing on Team USA at the Olympics will definitely help his development. Being able to soak up everything he can from the future Hall of Famers alongside him.
This past season, Edwards was named to his second consecutive All-Star appearance. He appeared in 79 games at a little over 35 minutes per game. He averaged 25.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.3 steals with splits of 46.1 percent shooting from the field, 35.7 percent shooting from the three-point line and 83.6 percent shooting from the free-throw line.
Edwards was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft by the Wolves. He finished second in the Rookie of the Year voting during the 2020-21 season. He's been improving each year he's been in the league and it seems like only a matter of time before he's firmly in the conversation for best player in the NBA.
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