Anthony Edwards is Quitting Fast/Fried Food

Anthony Edwards was the only Minnesota Timberwolves star, who played in the team’s preseason opener vs Miami on Tuesday night, and he shined. The Heat played Bam Adebayo, Kyle Lowry and Tyler Herro but it didn’t matter. Ant went 9 of 15 (23 minutes) from the floor, scoring 24 points, grabbing 3 rebounds and dishing an equal 3 assists.

Preseason games, especially the opener, aren’t the best barometer for regular season success. Still, Edwards just looked different last night.

.@JonKrawczynski and I were texting last night about Ant and both said the same thing.

Anthony Edwards is playing with a sense of control.

The pace, change of speeds, and decision making in the P&R is fantastic. pic.twitter.com/uNlI1dLGGH

— Stephen Strom (@SStrom_) October 5, 2022

Ant Doubles Down on Commitment Level

He looks bigger, stronger and more confident. And that’s for a reason. According to reports, Anthony Edwards put 10 pounds of good weight on during the offseason. He re-dedicated himself to his workouts and, even, gave up fried/fast food during the week.

Now that the season is starting up, Ant is quitting his weekend fast food binges too. This is a big deal, given how much he loves those fried guilty pleasures. But when you get to the NBA, and everybody around you exudes talent too, it’s the little things that set you apart from the pack. Food is fuel, after all.

Edwards credited Timberwolves Vice President of Sports Science and Performance Javair Gillett with pushing him through a rigorous weight training program this summer. Gillett would sometimes move all of the equipment outside of the gym in the thick Atlanta heat to bring a new challenge to the 21-year-old.

He made it a point to get in better shape and make some adjustments to his diet — he cut out fried foods during the week this summer and plans to eliminate them altogether now that the season has started — because he knows so much more is going to be demanded of him this season. Patrick Beverley and Jarred Vanderbilt, two of the Wolves’ best perimeter defenders, were traded to get Gobert, so more of that responsibility will fall on his shoulders.

Jon Krawczynski (The Athletic)

Ant Has No Ceiling

If Anthony Edwards really is dedicated to greatness, his ceiling doesn’t exist. He has enough talent to be the best player in the NBA. But talent only takes you so far. Ant was already a hard working youngster, before this offseason began. But everyone in the NBA is hardworking these days.

Once you start maneuvering your diet toward being the highest-graded fuel for your body, you’re reaching a commitment level that goes above and beyond what the average athlete is willing to sacrifice. And if Anthony Edwards becomes a top-10 player over the next year or two, the Minnesota Timberwolves could find themselves playing in the types of games that nobody here has even dreamed of, since Kevin Garnett’s departure.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan