Most fans associate Anthony Edwards with explosive scoring, fearless shot-making, and memorable highlights. At Fanatics Fest, he talked about how much work goes into getting ready for a game before it even starts.
Anthony Edwards Shares ‘Cheat Code’ He Gave Karl-Anthony Towns for NBA Finals
The Minnesota Timberwolves were no longer playing when the NBA Finals began, but Edwards still followed the matchup closely. That attention was not simply because a former teammate was competing for a championship. It was because Minnesota had already spent an entire playoff series trying to solve the San Antonio Spurs and Victor Wembanyama, a grueling matchup where the Spurs exposed the Timberwolves’ tactical vulnerabilities.
That previous series gave Edwards firsthand knowledge that could not be gathered from a single scouting report. Speaking at Fanatics Fest, he explained that those experiences became part of his conversations with Karl-Anthony Towns before each Finals game.
Anthony Edwards reveals he FaceTimed KAT before every Finals game to give him advice on the Spurs:
“I’d give him tips on which players like to go where and tell him stuff about Wemby. I gave him a cheat code and he passed the test”
(via @KalanHookstv)
pic.twitter.com/ZbV6lkrI8j— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) July 17, 2026
“I was talking to him before every game because we played San Antonio,” he said. “So just give him little tips and stuff on which players like to go which way and stuff about Wemby.”
Those details gave Towns a real advantage, helping him read the court in ways that game tape simply couldn’t capture.
The Details Of The Advice Mattered
The comments stood out because Edwards was not describing general encouragement or motivational conversations. His explanation centered on player tendencies, preferred driving directions, and specific observations about Wembanyama. Those are the kinds of details teams spend hours discussing while preparing for a playoff opponent.
NBA postseason basketball often comes down to adjustments from one game to the next. Coaches build game plans through film sessions, while players rely on experience gained during previous meetings against the same opponent. Edwards’ comments showed that he believed those experiences could still help someone even after Minnesota’s season had ended.
The Story Offered Another Look At Anthony Edwards
Much of the public conversation around Edwards usually begins with his scoring or athletic ability. Those qualities have helped establish him as one of the league’s brightest young stars, but his Fanatics Fest appearance highlighted another part of his approach to the game. Edwards keeping his cool is a nice change from earlier, when he’d get frustrated by the team’s messy play.
Remembering opponent tendencies requires more than simply playing against a team. It involves recognizing patterns during games and recalling them well enough to explain them later. Rather than discussing his own performances against San Antonio, Edwards focused on the information he believed could help Towns prepare for the challenge ahead.
Karl-Anthony Towns Still Trusted a Familiar Voice
The conversation also reflected the relationship that Edwards and Towns have maintained since no longer sharing a locker room. The two spent four seasons together with the Timberwolves, helping lead the franchise to multiple playoff appearances before Towns joined the New York Knicks. The Timberwolves’ decision to move on from Towns marks a big change for the front office. This decision sets in motion the franchise’s biggest summer plans, shaping its future.
That history helps explain why Towns turned to someone who had recently faced the Spurs. Rather than relying only on film, he also had access to a player who had already experienced the matchup on the court. In the NBA, firsthand experience often adds another layer to traditional scouting, as it comes from game-speed possessions rather than sideline observations.
One Joke Captured The Outcome
After explaining the conversations, Edwards summed them up with a lighthearted remark. He said, “I gave him a little cheat code, and he passed the test, so shoutout KAT.”
The line drew laughs, but it also completed the story. Edwards never suggested that his advice won the championship, nor did he claim credit for New York’s success. Instead, he described a small role built on familiarity with an opponent that Minnesota had already faced.
His comments ultimately revealed more than a friendship between former teammates. They offered a factual look at the preparation that happens behind the scenes, where remembering an opponent’s habits and sharing those observations can become just as valuable as anything recorded in the box score.
Photo credit: Bruce Kluckhohn, Imagn Images via Reuters Connect
