Timberwolves' Anthony Edwards 'ain’t going nowhere'
In words that will be welcomed by Minnesota sports fans everywhere, Anthony Edwards wants to stay in Minnesota with the Timberwolves.
“Hell yeah, I ain’t going nowhere,” Edwards told Vanity Fair's Tom Kludt in a recent in-depth interview with the Wolves star.
Edwards has lead the 38-16 Timberwolves to the top of the Western Conference this season while posting some of the best numbers of his career. The 22-year-old is averaging 26.1 points, 5.2 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game — his points and assists are career highs — while shooting career bests of 46% from the field, 38% from 3-point range and 84% from the free-throw line.
It's been a well-trodden path for young stars to get their start in Minnesota, then dip out for a bigger market after "outgrowing" the state. It's a trope that has been increasingly present in the NBA over the last decade as numerous stars have bounced from city to city in efforts to build super teams.
Feb 12, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) controls the ball against the Los Angeles Clippers during the first half at Crypto.com Arena.
© Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Former Timberwolves teammate Patrick Beverley suggested last summer Edwards would need to leave Minnesota for a bigger pond. That suggestion quickly saw Beverley's "fan favorite" status taken away.
Kludt wrote Edwards "doesn't appear to be wired that way" when referencing the era of player movement in the NBA. "They ain’t better than Minnesota," Edwards is quoted as saying in the piece when likes of Los Angeles and New York are mentioned.
“As long as they don’t trade me, we good,” Edwards told Kludt.
For one of the longest-suffering fanbases in all of North American pro sports, those words will be mana from heaven.
Kludt isn't the only one that has gotten the feeling it's not just lip service from Edwards. Wolves head coach Chris Finch says Edwards' "commitment is unwavering to the Timberwolves organization."
“He’s a little bit of an outsider when it comes to the way he views the league,” Finch said. “I firmly believe he’s gonna say, ‘Hey, I’m not gonna be a part of your super team. I want people to come here and play with me, and we’ll win here together.’”
Wolves fans have rarely, if ever, had it better than they do now with a legitimate contender and a young superstar that wants to stay.
