Entering his sixth season in the league, Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards feels ready to take a step up. While Ant has established himself as a clear top-10 player and superstar, he still has another level to reach. Many people believe Edwards will make All-NBA first team for the first time in his career and maybe even win MVP.
Recently, The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski discussed this possibility.
“Yeah, I think that’s the plan,” Krawczynski said when discussing whether this is the year Edwards will have some real MVP buzz. I do think we should be fair when you compete against each other Funny and Shai. To really be part of that conversation, you have to set the bar very high. The numbers they put forward alone make it very difficult to get into the conversation.”
Krawczynski went on to say that with ample improvements as a playmaker, finisher, mid-range shooter and defender, combined with team success, Edwards could find himself in the MVP mix. Either way, as Krawczynski noted, it’s a tough road.
Winning MVP is an uphill battle, but not impossible for Edwards
For most of the 2020s, Nikola Jokić has dominated the MVP award, winning it three times and finishing in the top two five years in a row. Jokić has averaged a triple-double of nearly 25 points over the past five seasons. This season, Jokić has a great chance to become just the third player in league history to finish in the top two of the MVP voting in six straight seasons. With perhaps the best roster of his career, who’s to say Jokić won’t win his fourth MVP outright?
Then there’s Shai, the reigning MVP and Finals MVP of a Thunder team that just shy of 70 wins last season. SGA’s 32.7 ppg led the NBA last season. If the Thunder repeat their success from last season, Shai will be in prime position to win back-to-back MVPs.
Giannis Antetokounmpo can never be ruled out again, and he’s poised to post mind-boggling numbers on a Milwaukee Bucks roster that lacks surrounding talent. He’s not a front-runner MVP like Jokić or Shai, but if Giannis carries the Bucks to a top-five finish, he could be in contention for this award.
Even Luka Dončić could have a rock-solid MVP case if it comes with team success. The point is, the competition is fierce for Edwards. Even if Edwards doesn’t win the award, it’s reasonable to expect him to finish higher than ever before.
Despite Edwards seemingly being a notch below the level of Jokić and Shai, it’s not impossible that he breaks into legitimate MVP conversations. To achieve this lofty goal, Edwards will need to make strides, especially as a playmaker, and the Wolves will likely need to be among the top three.
While Edwards faces a challenging field and shouldn’t be a clear MVP frontrunner at this point, he could crash the game.
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