After signing megadeal with Wolves, all Anthony Edwards wants to do is win
MINNEAPOLIS -- Anthony Edwards is now among the highest-paid athletes in Minnesota history, but that's not the end goal in his eyes.
"I don't wanna be the guy who comes up here and says we want to do this," Edwards said at a press conference about his new deal with the Timberwolves Monday night. "We want to win man, that's all we want to do. Get better every year and every day. Be coachable. That's it."
The multi-year deal is reportedly worth more than $200 million. That's a hefty price tag for a team that, historically, hasn't been a haven for top talent. President of basketball operations Tim Connelly said the investment is about more than Edwards' on-court performance.
"This level of commitment's more about the person than the player. You don't do this unless you trust the person," Connelly said. "He's everything we want to be. His positivity, his energy he brings to his teammates, to us as coaches and scouts. It's invaluable. We want him to continue to improve and never lose he is because he's a really special guy."
In addition to the contract, Edwards made another commitment this offseason -- playing for the USA in the FIBA Basketball World Cup. He said that experience will help him be a better player for the Wolves, too.
"I wanted to play because it was a great opportunity. I think it can take my game to the next level," he said. "I think I'll be ready. I don't have to wait for preseason to get ready for the season, I'll be ready already when we get here. So I think it's a big step for me."
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Since coming into the league as a 19-year-old, Edwards has improved his game every season. Last year, he averaged 24.6 points, 4.4 assists and 5.8 assists per game. He was a top 20 scorer, played the second-most minutes in the league and was the best player on the court for the Wolves in their playoff series. Despite those personal accomplishments, head coach Chris Finch said one of Edwards' best qualities is his selflessness.
"One of the things I most admire about him is, if you've ever seen a press conference with Anthony, he's always talking about his teammates, he's always talking about those people that are around him, he's always rooting for other people's success, and those are things that really kind of help build a team spirit," Finch said.
Edwards proved Finch's point later in the press conference.
"I think [the fans] got faith in my whole team. We got a great group of guys, and we're going get better, a lot better this summer," he said. "Like I said, they got faith in all of us, not just me. I can't do it by myself, it's all of us, we're a collective group."
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The team's three leaders -- Connelly in the front office, Finch as coach and Edwards on the court -- all agree that the future is bright for a franchise that has often been the butt of NBA jokes.
"[Edwards is] an absolute joy to coach. Every single day he comes in with a big smile on his face, ready to work. Gets better and better, just learning all the things that it takes to be a professional in this league," Finch said.
"I think the most exciting thing is we're young. We can get a lot better, we got a great coach, great GM," Edwards said. "We trust these guys, and as long as they trust us we're gonna make it happen."
