NCAA Basketball: 10 “can’t-miss” players to watch for in 2019-20
By Cody Larson
Anthony Edwards
Despite being one of the top recruits in the nation (some might even say he is the top) everything revolving around Anthony Edwards – who’s headed to Georgia – is followed by a question mark. One thing is an exclamation point though, and that is his otherworldly athleticism for a 6-foot-5 combo guard.
The highlight reel enthusiasts of the college basketball world will miss the presence of Zion Williamson, but Edwards at least fills that void to a respectable degree. The way defenders bounce off him on his way to the basket is similar to the likes of the NBA’s most elite athletes. He also is one of those bouncy dunkers who, at times, seemingly have a “double jump” button in their arsenal.
Skeptics will reference his rather amateur resume thus far though. He hasn’t quite displayed his dominance at an elite level. He played for a rather small high school and was absent for a few of the larger recruiting circuit events. ESPN’s Jonathan Givony summarizes it best:
"“He was a late bloomer on a weak high school squad with very little help or structure. He played on the weaker Under Armour circuit with a team that lost more games than it won. He surprisingly declined an invite to USA Basketball a year ago, which likely cost him a spot at the Nike Hoops Summit in April.”"
That paragraph is fair game for critics to dismember his projected dominance at the next level. But again, it only takes on look at his game to understand that his athleticism should be transitional. The fact that he also has the ability to score at all three levels and has playmaking/pick-and-roll potential (the things that may not be so transitional) are only complimentary bonus points.
To also calm down the worriers, head coach Tom Crean is a familiar face surrounding the development of both Dwyane Wade and Victor Oladipo, so at least Edwards has some sense of credibility surrounding his name. There’s a lot of mystery surrounding just how legit Edwards is. But where there is mystery there is always intrigue, and that is why he is a player everyone should have their eye on.