Minneapolis/St. Paul – Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards today was named an All-Star in the 72nd NBA All-Star Game in Salt Lake City. Edwards is the eighth player in Timberwolves history to be named an NBA All-Star and this marks the second consecutive season a Wolves player will play in the annual game (Karl-Anthony Towns, 2022).
Edwards will be playing in his first NBA All-Star Game after appearing in the Rising Stars Challenge last season and being named to the Rising Stars Challenge in 2020 (game was not played due to Health and Safety reasons). The 6-4 guard currently leads the Timberwolves in games played (58) while also leading in points per game (24.7) and steals per game (1.70). No player in the last four seasons has led their team in each of those three categories for a full season.
Edwards, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, leads all third-year players in scoring with 24.7 ppg (ranking 16th league-wide). In his third season, he’s totaled 16 30+ point games, the most among third-year players (tied for 13th in the NBA); no other player from the 2020 Draft Class has more than five. Edwards is in elite company this season as one of only five players in NBA history aged 21 or younger to average at least 24 points, six rebounds and four assists. He would join Luka Dončić, LeBron James, Tracy McGrady and Michael Jordan as the only players in NBA history to do so.
The Atlanta native scored a season-high 44 points on a career-high-tying 17 made field goals, a season-high 8-of-16, six rebounds, four assists, three steals and three blocked shots during the Wolves’ 113-104 win over Houston on Jan. 21. The performance marked Edwards’ first 40+ point game of the season (sixth career) and the third time in his career knocking down 8+ threes in a game, extending his franchise record. Per Basketball Reference, he became the first player in Timberwolves history and first in the NBA this season to record a 40+ point 5x3 game (40+ points/3+ rebounds/3+ steals/3+ blocks).
In the Timberwolves 150-126 win over Chicago on Dec. 18, Edwards finished with 37 points, seven rebounds and a career-high 11 assists, becoming the third player in Timberwolves history to have 35+ points/5+ rebounds/10+ assists in a game (Kevin Love, Feb. 22, 2014 at Utah and Kevin Garnett, Dec. 18, 2003 vs. Dallas).
With his sixth three-pointer at the 14.2 second mark of the third quarter in Minnesota’s 134-122 win over San Antonio on Oct. 26, Edwards eclipsed 400 career threes, becoming the youngest player in NBA history and just the third player under the age of 22 to reach 400 made three pointers.