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Mavericks Rookie Puts Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards On Notice

Originally posted on NBA Analysis Network
By Robert Marvi | Last updated 10/5/23

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards is one of the NBA’s brightest young stars, and after three pro seasons, he may be on the verge of hitting a new plateau very soon.

He averaged 24.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 4.4 assists a game while establishing new career highs in overall shooting percentage and 3-point accuracy last season. It earned him his first All-Star nod, and at age 22, many feel he’s merely scratching the surface of his potential.

Edwards is also one of the league’s most confident players, and sometimes that confidence may border a bit on brashness and even attract some acrimony from other players who want to take him down a peg.

Olivier-Maxence Prosper, a rookie forward for the Dallas Mavericks, issued a warning to Edwards about the Mavs’ first two preseason games, both of which will be against Minnesota.

“I’m going to make his life hard,” Prosper said of guarding Edwards during the Mavericks’ two upcoming games. “I don’t care what he’s done; I’m going to make it tough on him.”

Prosper, the No. 24 pick in June’s draft, averaged 12.5 points and 4.7 rebounds a game for Marquette University last season. At 6-foot-8, he is considered a very tenacious, effective and versatile defender who can guard players in multiple positions.

Edwards recently said that he will soon become the best player in the NBA. If his Timberwolves hope to do anything more than reach the playoffs and lose in the first round of the playoffs, he may have to put himself in the discussion for being arguably the best in the world.

In last season’s playoffs, he put up 31.6 points and 5.2 dimes a game while shooting a robust 48.2 percent from the field. But it wasn’t enough, as his team was eliminated by the eventual world champion Denver Nuggets in five games.

Minnesota has an ill-fitting frontcourt that consists of Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns. But it does also have Jaden McDaniels, one of the league’s best emerging 3-and-D forwards.

The Mavs are a team that will also be looking to take a step forward and perhaps deny the Timberwolves a playoff spot. Last season, the Mavs traded for Kyrie Irving at midseason, yet they failed to reach the play-in tournament, and they should be very motivated once the new regular season starts.

This article first appeared on NBA Analysis Network and was syndicated with permission.

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