Anthony Edwards has added the one element to his game that makes him unstoppable

This offseason, Anthony Edwards openly worked on developing his mid-range game. Edwards played seven games and missed four due to a hamstring injury. So far he is shooting 48 percent on 3.6 medium attempts per game. Notably, Edwards shot 37.6 percent on 2.7 mid-range shots per game last season. Additionally, Edwards ranks 10th in mid-range shots made per game.

Developing as a mid-range threat was always the final step for Edwards to become a truly unstoppable goalscorer. Last season, Edwards became one of the best 3-point shooters in the league (something he confirmed this year). Still, forcing Edwards to beat you from mid-range was a reasonable strategy. This was something we saw in the playoffs, where Edwards shot just 30 percent from midrange.

Now, though, there’s no recipe for stopping Edwards as a scorer, and to no one’s surprise, he’s averaging 27.1 points per game. With the exception of the game where he was injured and his first game back from the injury, Edwards has scored at least 30 points in every game.

Edwards’ growth as a mid-range scorer makes him unstoppable

I know what you’re thinking: There’s a way to stop Edwards… force him to become a playmaker. At first glance, Edwards is averaging fewer assists than he has over the past two seasons and hasn’t made a big leap as a playmaker. However, he reads doubles better and is averaging the lowest turnover percentage of his career.

Julius Randle has been authorized as the Wolves’ primary playmaker. Furthermore, with the Wolves’ elite shooting surrounding Edwards, he will make teams pay if they double him.

Going back to the original point, Edwards has long been one of the most prolific bucket getters in the league, but now he really has no flaws as a goal scorer. The Wolves’ most recent game against the Utah Jazz highlighted Edwards’ newfound skills in the midrange, as he had four shots in the midrange.

As previously stated, Edwards led the league in total three-pointers. This, combined with his already explosive athleticism, helped him reach a new level as a goalscorer.

Edwards shot 39.5 percent from beyond the arc last year. That number has now risen to 50 percent this season. Ant has also increased his pull-up 3-point shooting to an absurd 45.7 percent. Now, Edwards is unlikely to shoot 50 percent on such a high volume (8.3 attempts) throughout the season; maintaining this number would be historic. Either way, something in the 40s is possible.

It’s also worth noting that Edwards is shooting 72.7 percent at the rim, which is a career high. However, Edwards’ growth as a mid-range scorer makes him truly unguardable, as he was already elite as a 3-point shooter and finisher.

As the Wolves look to become champions, Edwards’ mid-range play could benefit them immensely.