Draft Profile: Anthony Edwards
Position: SG (University of Georgia)
Age: 18
Height: 6 ft 4 in
Wingspan: 6 ft 10 in
Weight: 225 lbs
The Sales Pitch: Ant-Man is a 225-pound tank with long arms, speed, explosiveness, and a graceful jumper. Chalk up some of his inefficiency in part to being a baby, and to being forced into playing point guard more than he should have. With accountability and more off-ball minutes, you’re talking about a 2-guard who can draw free throws, finish with either hand with power or with finesse, pull up off the dribble going any direction from anywhere, and defend 1 through 3 with strength and quick feet when locked in. There’s some vision hiding in there, too. Give him structure and a few years to learn good shot from bad shot, and there’s no reason he can’t go from chuck to efficient volume scorer like Donovan Mitchell, Victor Oladipo, Zach LaVine and Devin Booker before him. That’s the thing with Ant: he doesn’t have to get better at everything to be really good. Just improve one or two of his flaws — be it passing, defense, or shooting — add in his athleticism, and he becomes a deadly weapon.
Check out The Strickland’s 2020 NBA Draft Big Board here!
Elite Traits/Skills: Athleticism and finishing.
The Devil’s Advocate Argument: No one in this draft has the brain farts this guy has, and no one is more “less than the sum of their combined skills.” If he couldn’t leverage his size, strength, speed, and jumper to score efficiently or defend vs. future accountants and summer camp managers, does he have the competitive edge and b-ball IQ to succeed vs NBA players? Isn’t this how Dion Waiters and JR Smith and Cliff Alexander happen? Also, aside from being athletic, he isn’t actually really great at anything — maybe finishing. All you hear is what he could be on defense, could be as a shooter, could be as a passer, could be as a defender. Some say he’ll be better with more off-ball minutes, but most times he’s been off-ball in high school or college he has looked absolutely clueless. That’s a lil too much would-be, could-be, should-be in a top-3 pick for me.
The Misconceptions: Ant is an open book at this point: not sure if there are any misconceptions!
Important Numbers:
38: The tiny number of catch-and-shoot attempts he had at Georgia.
123: Number of unassisted 3-pointers he took. A high-ass number showing how he can get his own shot at will from anywhere (even when it’s ill-advised).
69%: His FG% at the rim, including transition.
30%: His FG% on non-rim 2-pointers.
28%: His FG% on catch-and-shoot threes.
Knicks Fit: Don’t think he is the lead guard which NYK is perpetually looking for, but the talent and (theoretical) 3-point shooting are a great fit with potential to bump RJ Barrett up to the 3 (which is a better fit for RJ, anyway).
Educate yourself on some other potential Knicks: Killian Hayes, LaMelo Ball, and Onyeka Okongwu
