{"id":99269,"date":"2024-10-03T14:02:15","date_gmt":"2024-10-03T18:02:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=99269"},"modified":"2024-10-04T11:32:04","modified_gmt":"2024-10-04T15:32:04","slug":"top-25-nba-players-2024-25-no-7-anthony-edwards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/10\/03\/top-25-nba-players-2024-25-no-7-anthony-edwards\/","title":{"rendered":"Top 25 NBA Players 2024-25: No. 7 \u2013 Anthony Edwards"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As we continue with our <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/10\/02\/top-25-nba-players-2024-25-no-8-joel-embiid\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">top 25<\/a> rankings, we arrive at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/e\/edwaran01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-10-03_bbr\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Anthony Edwards<\/a>. The dynamic Minnesota Timberwolves star shot up the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2023\/09\/25\/55360\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">rankings<\/a> after a stellar season and impressive postseason run. Let\u2019s analyze Edwards\u2019 game and his spot on the list.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Top 25 NBA Players 2024-25: No. 7 \u2013 Anthony Edwards<\/h2>\n<h3><strong>A Rising Superstar\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At 23-years-old Edwards is a rising superstar and future face of the league. Edwards is one of the league\u2019s best athletes and has a walking highlight reel with stunning posterizing dunks. He pairs this with elite isolation scoring and lockdown defense. This skill set makes Edwards one of the NBA\u2019s best two-way stars. Edwards also has a rare, unshakeable confidence and is already one of the best <a href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nba\/story\/_\/id\/40167422\/what-anthony-edwards-accomplished-22-even-kobe-lebron-steph\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">leaders<\/a> in basketball. In his young career, Edwards has had an impressive amount of success, culminating in an incredible 2023-24 campaign.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"25 Minutes Of Anthony Edwards Dunks From 2023-24 Season\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/JmIqgeQIpQ0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Season Recap\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This past season, Edwards led the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/10\/01\/2024-25-nba-betting-preview-timberwolves-win-total-odds\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">Timberwolves<\/a> to a surprise 3-seed far exceeding their preseason projection of 44.5 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/teams\/MIN\/2024.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">wins<\/a>. Edwards averaged 25.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 5.1 assists on 46.1\/35.7\/83.6 shooting splits. Impressively, Edwards ranked in the 93rd percentile for offensive <a href=\"https:\/\/dunksandthrees.com\/epm\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">plus\/minus<\/a> and the 95th percentile for <a href=\"https:\/\/dunksandthrees.com\/epm\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">overall<\/a> plus\/minus. Notably, Edwards was named to second-team All-NBA and finished seventh in MVP voting. His season consisted of several highlight dunks, including an absurd <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=zNhFv6fOdRA\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">poster<\/a> over <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/search\/search.fcgi?pid=collijo01,collijo02&amp;search=John+Collins&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-10-03_bbr\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">John Collins.<\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Edwards\u2019 play is especially impressive, considering the lack of secondary creation on Minnesota\u2019s roster. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/t\/townska01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-10-03_bbr\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Karl-Anthony Towns<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/r\/reidna01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-10-03_bbr\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Naz Reid<\/a> off the bench were the only consistent scorers next to Edwards. However, Edwards truly shined this season in the playoffs, posting averages of 27.6 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 6.5 assists on 48.1\/40\/81.4 shooting splits. Edwards led the Timberwolves to a surprising first-round sweep over the Phoenix Suns, taking down stars <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/d\/duranke01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-10-03_bbr\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kevin Durant<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/b\/bookede01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-10-03_bbr\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Devin Booker<\/a> in the process. Edwards had some truly incredible moments in this series including a 40-point close-out game, a highlight\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=kOEwZaR-6DE\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">dunk<\/a>, over KD, and an iconic <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=v32YNg1yUGM\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">celebration<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He followed this up by taking down the defending champion Denver Nuggets and three-time MVP <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/j\/jokicni01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Nikola Jokic<\/a>. Edwards had two more 40-plus point performances in this series and led the Timberwolves to a surprising comeback in Game 7. While the Timberwolves lost to the Dallas Mavericks in the Conference Finals, Edwards\u2019 playoffs were memorable and highly impressive.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Most 40-point playoff games before turning 23:<\/p>\n<p>5 \u2014 Luka Doncic<br \/>\n4 \u2014 Anthony Edwards<br \/>\n3 \u2014 Kevin Durant<br \/>\n3 \u2014 LeBron James<br \/>\n3 \u2014 Amar&#8217;e Stoudemire <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/pwgie6jBIS\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/pwgie6jBIS<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 StatMuse (@statmuse) <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/statmuse\/status\/1789845738421121140?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">May 13, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Season Outlook<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Timberwolves made a shocking trade by <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/10\/01\/nba-trade-grades-what-the-kat-julius-randle-3-team-deal-means-for-each-of-the-3-franchises-and-their-next-moves-as-deal-is-finally-official\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">trading<\/a> Karl-Anthony Towns for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/r\/randlju01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-10-03_bbr\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Julius Randle<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/d\/divindo01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-10-03_bbr\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Donte DiVincenzo<\/a>. While Randle doesn\u2019t offer the same floor spacing as Towns, he is still a high-quality second option and prolific scorer. DiVincenzo provides extra floor spacing and shot creation off the bench. Entering his fifth season, it\u2019s fair to expect Edwards to make another jump. Whether that jump involves a raw scoring jump or subtle improvements as a playmaker or defender remains to be seen. The Timberwolves project to be a top-three seed in the West. If they can challenge the ultra-talented Oklahoma City Thunder for the top seed, Edwards could be a legitimate MVP candidate.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>The Last Word\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some may argue that seven is too high for Ant. However, his incredible playoff run, paired with the lack of offensive talent around him, justifies his ranking. Yes, Minnesota had the league\u2019s best <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nba.com\/stats\/teams\/defense?SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;dir=A&amp;sort=DEF_RATING\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">defense<\/a>, which certainly helped them beat the Suns and Nuggets. But make no mistake, Edwards was the main reason the Wolves made it to the conference finals, and his ranking needs to be elevated because of this. Ultimately, what Edwards has accomplished at his young age and his ability to lead an offense is truly remarkable he will only continue to rise in the rankings.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Keep up with our top 25 list <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?s=Top+25+NBA+Players+2024-25\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">here<\/a>.<br style=\"font-weight: 400;\" \/><br style=\"font-weight: 400;\" \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As we continue with our top 25 rankings, we arrive at Anthony Edwards. The dynamic Minnesota Timberwolves star shot up the rankings after a stellar season and impressive postseason run. Let\u2019s analyze Edwards\u2019 game and his spot on the list.\u00a0 Top 25 NBA Players 2024-25: No. 7 \u2013 Anthony Edwards A Rising Superstar\u00a0 At 23-years-old [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4779,"featured_media":99272,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"1","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[62,1608,21],"tags":[2109,5031,49488],"class_list":["post-99269","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nba","category-basketball","category-timberwolves","tag-anthony-edwards","tag-nba-player-rankings","tag-top-25-nba-players-2024-25"],"modified_by":"Eamon Cassels, Editor","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99269","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4779"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=99269"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99269\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/99272"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=99269"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=99269"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=99269"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}