Minnesota Timberwolves’ All-Star guard Anthony Edwards led the charge for team USA during their final warm-up game before the FIBA World Cup, scoring 34 points as they recovered from a 16-point deficit to beat Germany – a side stacked with NBA-level talent. Steve Kerr has declared the 22-year-old ‘the guy’, and it’s no surprise off the back of a successful third season in the league.
Edwards takes charge, Team USA recover to beat Germany
- Team USA HC Steve Kerr: “He’s unquestionably the guy. I mean, he knows it, but now the team knows and I think the fans see it – but we do in practice everyday, he genuinely believes he’s the best player in the gym every single night, such a dynamic young player but I think he’s taking a leap.”
- Timberwolves’ All-Star had 34 points during 99-91 comeback win over Germany, ensuring Team USA remain unbeaten in exhibition play with 5-0 record before FIBA World Cup kicks off later this week vs. New Zealand
- Pacers’ All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton: “We talk about it all the time – that fear factor [for other teams] is gone. There’s certain battles you have to control to win basketball games, especially at this level. We gotta contrtol the glass, run teams off the three-point line, can’t send ’em to the line. We didn’t do a good job but figured out a way to win – that’s most important.”
It feels fitting the man to watch Anthony Edwards’ growth up close abroad is the same one who was honest with him three summers ago, stressing the need to work harder if he was to be drafted #2 by the Warriors in that subsequent draft.
He went #1 to Minnesota and quickly snatched the mantle from Karl-Anthony Towns as their bonafide franchise player in a small-market where storylines featuring disgruntled players and fragmented dynamics never feels too far from the surface.
After years of underachievement, the Timberwolves were left disappointed by their postseason efforts in 2021-22 and will have been encouraged even further having proved the toughest test for eventual NBA champions Denver this past season.
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That’s according to multiple players, insiders and critics who watched the Jokic-Murray tandem wreak havoc through four playoff series, and the key x-factor wasn’t their surprise offseason acquisition Rudy Gobert – but instead Edwards.
He led the Americans in scoring (19.2) over their five-game warmup slate, shooting 11-of-21 from the field with four made threes and a perfect 8-of-8 at the foul line against Germany – who had Franz Wagner (17), Moritz Wagner (14) and Daniel Theis (12) all benefiting from new Toronto Raptors guard Dennis Schroder (16 pts, 10 ast).
“If you think about USA basketball over the years, a lot of young players have taken a leap in these World Cup [and] Olympic competitions. It feels to me like Anthony is taking that leap.” – Kerr on Edwards raising his level
It’s not only his scoring or creative responsibilities that have intensified either.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst wrote a piece, touching upon his brilliant defensive efforts as they collectively swarmed the Germans to close out victory in late-game situations where execution in every possession is magnified even more.
It proves he can be useful off-ball when they need him to, something you don’t often see from players who seize the leading man role and focus their energies on attacks.
The aforementioned Haliburton came alive in the third quarter, scoring 11 of his 16 points in that stanza while Austin Reaves (16) and this year’s NBA DPOY Jaren Jackson (six blocks, eight rebounds) were also key to an intense comeback win.
What’s next?
After going unbeaten in their World Cup warm-up fixtures, team USA will hope for a quick acclimatisation period as they travel from Abu Dhabi to the Phillipines tonight, where their three group C fixtures take place at Pasay’s MoA Arena.
Provided they finish in the top two spots within their group, they’ll progress into the second-round – which begins on September 1.
A reminder: they lost 89-79 to France in the World Cup quarterfinals four years ago, and eventually finished in a lowly seventh place that summer.
No players from that 12-man group remain. This core are considerably different everywhere, while building positive momentum and that youthful exuberance could prove pivotal in tight moments this time around under Kerr and his coaching staff.
Team USA’s schedule, in full
FIBA World Cup, Group C
New Zealand – Aug. 26
Greece – Aug. 28
Jordan – Aug. 30
Stay tuned to moandsports.com for more FIBA pieces in due course after Friday’s opening ceremony, as I’ll provide some coverage over the course of this tournament after a hectic week in store for me across a series of sports…
Picture source: Getty Images, quotes via The Athletic
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