Following the Minnesota Timberwolves victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday, the gregarious Anthony Edwards had nothing but high praise for third-year forward Jaden McDaniels.

Asked how big McDaniels’ performance was for Minnesota, an enthused Edwards says that it was “super big.”

“Big Dog, J-Mac, Tall J-Mac… Jay, Jayden, Slim. Whatever you want to call him, man, he’s him.”

Averaging a career-high 11.5 points per game this season, McDaniels knocked down two particularly clutch shots in the teams 111-102 victory. The first, an 18-foot jumper with 2:28 remaining in the fourth quarter. The second, a catch-and-shoot 3-pointer with 1:24 left on the clock. Finishing the contest with 10 points, it says a lot about McDaniels as player and a person to score half of his total points when the team needed him most.

It also says a lot about how his teammates view him. Shooting 52.2 percent from the field and 39.2 percent from 3-point range this season, the only non-center on the Timberwolves that's been more efficient than him has been veteran forward Taurean Prince.

A jack-of-all trades type prospect when he entered the league out of the University of Washington, McDaniels’ efficiency — particularly in his 3-point stroke — represents the largest stride he’s made since college. If he can remain an efficient scorer on offense while continuing to highlight his defensive playmaking ability, he’ll be in the league for a long time.

Considering his fit with the Timberwolves and the camaraderie he already has with the face of the franchise, there might not be a better place for him than Minnesota.