Garnett: You need a guy like Anthony Edwards to gain respect in this league

The Minnesota Timberwolves have surprised a lot of people so far in this year’s playoffs. They put the league on notice with a first-round sweep of the Phoenix Suns before winning their first two games against the Denver Nuggets. The reigning champions have since won the next three games to put Minnesota in a 3-2 hole, but the Wolves are still making some noise.

Timberwolves legend Kevin Garnett had high praise for superstar Anthony Edwards in his interview with Trysta Krick of the Audacy Sports Podcast “Heat Check” this week.

“What I love about Anthony Edwards is he’s being very adamant about who he is and how he’s coming. He’s letting the Denver Nuggets know that he’s not intimidated. He’s letting them know that the Minnesota Timberwolves are also a presence,” Garnett said. “When you are a team making your rounds and trying to put your flag in the ground and gain some respect from the league, you have to go at it like how he’s going at it.”

Edwards averaged nearly 26 points per game in the regular season to go along with five rebounds and five assists. He’s taken his game up a notch in the playoffs while averaging 30.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, and six assists.

“Anthony Edwards is a closer. You have to have a guy in the fourth quarter that can put buckets together, that can put scores together, that thinks outside the box, and I think he’s doing a great job of leading this team,” Garnett continued. “I think they’re playing great on both ends of the ball with energy and sharing the ball.”

Edwards is not only improving his own game but his teammates around him as well. Karl-Anthony Towns has been a difference-maker in the Wolves’ wins this postseason.

“I think the difference clearly has been him in these times when they won and when they lost. Karl-Anthony Towns has to have one of those games to put the Timberwolves over the top,” said Garnett. “But you need a guy like Ant Edwards when you’re trying to gain respect in this league like this.”

Edwards has certainly earned respect around the league and is turning the Timberwolves into a perennial contender.