Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards earns yet another fine for "obscene gesture"
MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards has earned his fifth fine of the season, this time for "making obscene gestures toward a game official," the NBA said.
Edwards was caught on camera raising his middle finger at a referee during the team's Saturday night loss to the Memphis Grizzlies. The action will cost Edwards $50,000.
This is Edwards' second obscene gesture fine of the season — the first came on Nov. 17 and cost him $35,000. He was also fined three times in December for using profanity during a live television interview ($100,000), publicly criticizing officials and using profanity ($75,000) and, again, using profanity ($25,000). That brings Edwards' season total for penalties to $285,000.
Edwards, 23, signed a five-year, $244 million contract extension with the Wolves in 2023. The summation of his fines accounts for less than 1% of his salary this league year.
Edwards has reason to be frustrated. After trading their other star, Karl-Anthony Towns, this offseason, the Wolves are 20-18 and on the edge of the playoff picture in the Western Conference. This comes just one season after the team went on a stunning run to the Western Conference Finals.
For his part, Edwards is having another stellar season, averaging 25.4 points a night and making 42% of his threes while shooting them at the highest rate of his career.
Off the court, Edwards met Luca Wright, a young fan with leukemia, earlier this season. Wright gifted him a "Love Like Luca" wristband, which Edwards promised to wear for the rest of his career. So far, Edwards has kept his promise, sporting it in all of the Wolves' subsequent games.
