NBA Draft 2020: What Anthony Edwards has to do to be the #1 pick

1) Two more signature performances

Remember back in November when Edwards scored 37 points against Michigan State at the Maui Invitational and looked like the best player in the country?

That was pretty great, wasn’t it? You’d have no problem taking that guy with the first overall pick, right?

Edwards has had plenty of good performances since then, but he hasn’t come close to having that same kind of impact. He also hasn’t taken over a game at a crucial point.

The 6-5, 225-pounder did score 23 points against Kentucky, yet he was largely limited in the second half and the Bulldogs lost. In Georgia’s biggest win of the season, at Memphis, Edwards was limited to just 13 points on 4/17 shooting.

If he wants to be the No. 1 pick, Edwards has to have at least two more signature performances. They don’t have to be to the extent of his outing against Michigan State, but he needs to take over in a meaningful game and/or put up a ridiculous stat line. Much of the hype surrounding him is about what he could be given his physical tools, but not what he is.

That’s the thing with all these top prospects – it’s about potential. And as we mentioned, Edwards is the only one who can still add more tangible performances to his resume.

A big game Tuesday night against Kentucky could go a long way, but he needs to take over multiple games down the stretch to show he can turn his physical skill set into the type of production it warrants.