Andy Clayton-King/Connected Press
Minnesota Timberwolves heart Karl-Anthony Towns campaigned for teammate Anthony Edwards to amass the Rookie of the Twelve months Award after Monday’s 116-106 home have over the Sacramento Kings.
“He’s the Rookie of the Twelve months. I don’t know what else to say,” Towns suggested journalists. “He’s proven he’s the most talented participant within the draft class. … He’s the superb of the superb.”
Edwards, the principle overall rob within the 2020 NBA draft, recorded 19 components, eight rebounds, five assists and two steals in 38 minutes in opposition to the Kings. He’s won traction within the bustle for prime rookie honors with the Charlotte Hornets‘ LaMelo Ball sidelined by a wrist injury.
Ball emerged as the entrance-runner for Rookie of the Twelve months earlier than fracturing his wrist during a March 20 sport in opposition to the Los Angeles Clippers. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported the injury and subsequent surgical treatment will defend him out for the relaxation of the season, but the Hornets have not confirmed that timetable.
While his absence would no longer entirely safe him entirely out of the award dialog, it be opened the door for the other contenders to create an announcement during the season’s final months.
Edwards and the Sacramento Kings’ Tyrese Haliburton private made the superb push. Right here’s a gaze at how the gamers’ numbers stack up during the debut seasons:
- Ball: 15.9 PPG, 6.1 APG, 5.9 RPG, 1.6 SPG in 41 games
- Edwards: 17.6 PPG, 2.6 APG, 4.4 RPG, 1.1 SPG in 51 games
- Haliburton: 13.1 PPG, 5.1 APG, 3.3 RPG, 1.2 SPG in 45 games
The Current York Knicks’ Immanuel Quickley, Detroit Pistons’ Saddiq Bey and Houston Rockets’ Jae’Sean Tate are also playing standout seasons and will enter the dialog with a tough stretch bustle.
Edwards has lived up to his billing of an overwhelming all-spherical athlete and scoring machine. The lingering inquire of that will settle whether he becomes no doubt one of many NBA’s in fact upper-echelon gamers is whether or no longer he can toughen his offensive efficiency.
The College of Georgia product is taking pictures intellectual 39.4 percent from the discipline, including 31.3 percent from three, for the Wolves. The 19-year-weak has peaceful made an limitless affect, but there’s certain room for improvement.
Even a exiguous uptick in his taking pictures percentages over the next six weeks would possibly per chance abet establish him over the tip in a extremely aggressive Rookie of the Twelve months bustle.
