Anthony Edwards: Prospect Scouting: 2020 NBA Draft

Anthony Edwards has been the undoubted #1 talent in this year’s draft. With his great scoring ability and potential to become the next great guard in the NBA, it is hard to pass him up. But, while playing on a bad Georgia team this season, some people have been doubting Edwards, saying that his inefficiency will be his downfall. Today, we will see if Edwards really is the #1 talent in to the 2020 NBA Draft.

Strengths

Edwards is a 6-5 SG weighing 215 pounds from Georgia. Edwards can score from everywhere on the floor. But, he is at his best when he is getting downhill and attacking the rim. He has great athleticism to score against length in the paint. Edwards has a smooth jumpshot from both the mid-range and 3-point line. Many times during the season, he can be seen hitting contested step-back 3’s. Whenever Edwards get the ball, he is a threat to score.

Edwards is also good at creating his own shot off of the dribble and creating his own space for his shot. This will be a very valuable tool for him in the NBA as the defenders get much more skilled.

Edwards has great power for a guard. With his ability to get downhill, and his explosive athleticism, it it tough to stop. He has the aggressiveness of guys like Zion Williamson and Giannis Antetokounmpo, and he finished with the best of them.

Edwards can hold his own on defense with his 6-5 frame with a 6-9 wingspan. As he gets more experienced, he can use those longs arms to be a great defender in the NBA.

Weaknesses

The only real weakness is Edward’s game is sometimes he forced things too much. Now, this could change because he was really the only good player on the Georgia team, so he was taking most of the shots. If Edwards can just slow down a little and get the best shot for him and his team, then he will be fine.

This is goes hand in hand with shot selection. Edwards had a tendency in college to jack up deep 3’s. And sometimes he would just attack the basket. If Edwards can find that balance of 3-point, mid-range and inside scoring it will be tough to stop him.

Comparisons
Bigger Victor Oladipo
Donovan Mitchell
Dwyane Wade

Where Will Edwards Go?

As of the league being suspended indefinitely, the Warriors have the best odds to land the #1 pick. If they do land the #1 pick, they will likely take James Wiseman, center from Memphis. The Warriors would not have use for Edwards as they already have 3x NBA Champions in Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.

The projected 2nd pick in the NBA draft is going to the Cavs. The Cavs already have drafted two points guards in the last two seasons in Collin Sexton and Darius Garland. I don’t think that they would want to add another guard to the mix and stunt he growth of Garland. If Edwards was in the 2019 Draft Class, when the Cavs only had Sexton, then this pick would be Edwards, but now that they have two young guards, I don’t think that Edwards is the right move here.

The 3rd projected pick is going to the Hawks. This is the place where Edwards should go. The Hawks have their point guard in Trae Young, their SF in Cam Reddish/Deandre Hunter, their PF in John Collins and their C in Clint Capela. They have Kevin Huerter who would be a solid backup, but they could use an upgrade. With Edwards, they would have their starting lineup complete, with guys like Cam Reddish, Kevin Huerter and Jeff Teague off the bench. Edwards would fit right into what Atlanta is doing. He has great scoring ability, and will help hide Trae Young’s defense on the other side of the ball. Along with John Collins, Deandre Hunter and Clint Capela, the defense would be pretty good for the Hawks.

My Prediction

Edwards is the most complete talent in the 2020 NBA Draft, and will be a no-doubt baller at the next level. Edwards could go anywhere from 1-5 depends on who is picking. Some teams in the top 5 like the Warriors and Cavs don’t have much use for Edwards. But teams like the Hawks would be itching at a chance to select Edwards. The future is bright for Edwards and whoever picks him in the 2020 NBA Draft.

Please leave a comment on where you think Anthony Edwards is going, and tell me which other college players should I scout.