Georgia Basketball: Door Open for Anthony Edwards to be Consensus Top Pick
Memphis big man James Wiseman has decided to leave school and prepare for the NBA draft, following an NCAA suspension for receiving improper benefits. This move has big ramifications for Georgia Basketball Star Anthony Edwards.
The Georgia Bulldogs basketball program is garnering interest that it has not seen in many years. The hiring of former Marquette and Indiana head coach, Tom Crean has put Georgia Basketball into the spotlight for the first time since the days of Dominique. A major part of the Dawgs emergence is due to Crean landing star forward Anthony Edwards.
For those who have yet to tune in, Anthony Edwards is a 6'5 225-pound shooting guard/small forward. He played his high school ball at Holy Spirit Preparatory School in Atlanta, Georgia. Among the 2019 recruiting class, Edwards was the number one player in the state of Georgia and the number two player in the entire nation, according to 247sports.com.
Though the Georgia Bulldogs basketball season is still young, so far Edwards is living up to his billing. He's averaging a team-high 19.4 points per game. Additionally, he's grabbing 5.2 rebounds and 3.0 assists per contest. He logged a career-high 37 points against Michigan State. This includes an unbelievable 33 point explosion in the second half. Edwards also had a game-winning buzzer-beater to his credit. The UGA star hit a step-back three-pointer at the buzzer to defeat Chaminade, capping off a 24 point, eight-rebound performance.
Despite all the recent belief that NCAA basketball doesn't matter, being the nation's most highlighted player come Tournament time is invaluable for NBA prospects. Zion Williamson entered college as the fifth-ranked player, but after setting the college basketball scene ablaze last year, was the consensus number one overall pick.
Now that James Wiseman, one of the top contenders to be the first overall pick in 2020 draft has left school, that's one less player on the big stage to challenge Edwards. North Carolina guard Cole Anthony is another player that is projected as a potential top NBA Draft pick. Unfortunately, he suffered a knee injury and will miss 4-6 weeks and people have wondered whether he will return this season at all.
PG, LaMelo Ball
LaMelo Ball is the fourth and final contender to be the first pick. However, Ball chose to skip college and play in the Australian NBL to prepare for the NBA draft. That leaves the brightest spotlight of the NCAA to Edwards alone among the top four prospects.
I suppose a team that badly needs a big man could fall in love with Wiseman, despite not seeing him play much at the major college level. There is a possibility that a point guard needy team could settle on Cole Anthony or LaMelo Ball. However, the top spot is there for Anthony Edwards to take, as long as he continues to elevate his game. Should Edwards be selected number one, he will become the first player in UGA history to do so.
That would go a long way towards future recruiting and helping Tom Crean accomplish his goal. That goal is elevating his team to the point where the Georgia Bulldogs are not only a national power in football, but also a perennial NCAA tournament basketball team, then a consistent championship contender, and eventually NCAA Basketball Champions.
