Georgia Professional Athletes

Anthony Edwards spent the offseason recovering. Now he's running his mouth — in the best possible way — and Minnesota's preseason is must-watch television because of it.

The Georgia product and Timberwolves franchise cornerstone kicked off the 2026-27 preseason with a bold declaration: Minnesota can be a "superteam" — but with a twist. Edwards clarified the label applies specifically to what he believes can be an elite defensive unit, not just a star-studded offensive showcase. "I like it — We're sharing the ball a lot," Edwards told reporters. "I think defensively we can really be a super team." It's a nuanced take from a player who has clearly thought beyond highlight reels, and it carries weight given what the Wolves have assembled around him.

The LaMelo Experiment Begins

The biggest variable in Minnesota's equation made his Wolves debut in a 116-97 preseason blowout of the Milwaukee Bucks, and the early returns were encouraging. LaMelo Ball posted 11 points, four rebounds, three assists, and a steal in just 17 minutes, flashing the playmaking creativity that made him a trade target in the first place. Edwards — who finished with 14 points and two blocks — was visibly enthusiastic about his new running mate afterward, offering a characteristically funny postgame quote that underscored a budding chemistry the organization is banking on.

Sports Illustrated flagged the pace the duo pushed together as Minnesota's "not-so-secret weapon," noting both players' appetite for up-tempo basketball as a natural fit. That speed was on full display against Milwaukee and carried into a second preseason game against the Indiana Pacers, where Tyrese Haliburton — playing his first game back from Achilles rehab — shared a hilarious sideline exchange with Edwards that made the rounds on social media.

Not everyone is a believer yet. A Heavy Sports analysis warned that the LaMelo trade could backfire, pointing to the roster construction risks that come with pairing two high-usage, ball-dominant guards. The front office dumped Julius Randle to make the move work financially, and the margin for error in Minnesota is thin. Edwards' happiness is cited as a non-negotiable variable in the organization's calculus.

Off-Court, Edwards Is Everywhere

The preseason hype has extended well beyond game logs. Edwards debuted a new colorway for his AE3 signature shoe and used the moment to clap back at Drake, who had taken a shot at him in a Kevin Durant Adidas ad. That prompted a sharp response from Jaylen Brown — now with the 76ers — who took offense to Edwards' own Adidas commercial that appeared to include jabs at both Brown and LeBron James. Brown's reaction went viral. Edwards, unbothered, kept his focus on the court.

It's worth noting Edwards took intentional time off this offseason after finishing the 2025-26 campaign physically worn down. The rest appears to have paid dividends: multiple reports describe him as healthy, sharp, and energized heading into the regular season — exactly what a franchise pinning its championship aspirations on one player needs to hear.

For Georgia fans, Edwards remains the program's most prominent NBA standard-bearer, and through one week of preseason play, he's given them plenty to watch — and argue about.

Anthony Edwards arrived at Timberwolves media day this week carrying the weight of a franchise — and looked completely unbothered by it.

The Georgia alum is entering his fifth NBA season as Minnesota's unquestioned centerpiece, and everything surrounding the 2026-27 Timberwolves is being built around that reality. New backcourt partner. New leadership expectations. New MVP narrative. The hype machine is running at full throttle, and for once, the organization isn't trying to pump the brakes.

The LaMelo Factor

Minnesota's blockbuster trade for LaMelo Ball is the biggest structural shift surrounding Edwards heading into the season. The Timberwolves, who leaned heavily on size and physicality in recent years, are now pivoting toward pace — and Edwards is the direct beneficiary. With Ball drawing attention as a primary playmaker, the organization believes Edwards can operate in what they're calling his "natural elite role," freed from ball-handling duties that pulled him away from his most dangerous spots.

Edwards, for his part, has been sold on the pairing longer than most fans realize. The two go back to Ball's viral Chino Hills high school days, when Edwards was already a fan of his game. That pre-existing respect appears to have translated quickly into training camp chemistry.

There is one caveat the Wolves aren't shying away from: defense. Coach Chris Finch and Edwards himself have made clear that Ball will need to hold up on that end for Minnesota's new-look lineup to work. The ask is direct, and the expectation is that Ball rises to meet it.

MVP Conversation Is Real

Kendrick Perkins didn't hedge when asked about his 2026-27 MVP pick — Edwards, full stop. The former NBA big man cited the Ball addition as the catalyst that pushes Edwards from superstar to legitimate award frontrunner, arguing that Ball's playmaking removes the last major obstacle between Edwards and a dominant statistical season.

Timberwolves President Tim Connelly echoed that energy at media day, telling reporters he believes Edwards is set up for a sensational campaign. That kind of organizational co-signing is notable — front offices rarely throw that kind of fuel on the fire before a single regular-season game is played.

Sports Illustrated outlined three non-negotiables Edwards must deliver this season, underscoring that even at 25 and ahead of the curve, there are still benchmarks he needs to hit to cement his status among the game's elite.

Leading Out Loud

The loudest storyline out of Wolves camp may not be the Ball trade at all — it's Edwards' evolution as a vocal leader. Coach Finch and veteran guard Bones Hyland have both publicly challenged Edwards to step into that role more deliberately, and Edwards has responded with a concrete plan: building a culture of "speaking up" within the locker room.

That shift in identity carries weight. Edwards has always led by performance, but the Timberwolves are asking him to lead by voice too — and his willingness to embrace that challenge publicly signals a maturity that matches the expectations now placed on him.

He was candid at media day about the team's roster overhaul, expressing genuine fondness for departed big man Naz Reid in comments that, depending on your read, carried a subtle edge toward Julius Randle. That kind of unfiltered honesty is exactly what Finch and Hyland have been pushing for.

Edwards also offered a vintage moment when discussing the team's preseason trip to France to visit Rudy Gobert: "I didn't do anything to like learn about France. I think I saw the Eiffel Tower for the first time." The humor was trademark Ant — but the underlying message about team bonding was genuine.

Minnesota's season hasn't started yet. But if media day energy translates, Georgia's most prominent NBA product is ready to make some noise.

Anthony Edwards Is Running the NBA Offseason — and He Knows It

Georgia's most entertaining alumnus isn't waiting for tip-off to make noise. Anthony Edwards, the Minnesota Timberwolves' star shooting guard and Athens product, has turned the NBA's quiet September into his personal showcase — with a viral Adidas comedy campaign that skewers the league's biggest names and a third signature shoe dropping Friday, Sept. 18.

The centerpiece is "Minneatlantasota," a sketch comedy series that blends Edwards' Atlanta roots with his Minnesota home — and his total lack of restraint when it comes to clowning peers. The series, built around the rollout of the Adidas Anthony Edwards 3 in its "Cold Blooded" colorway, has already generated major buzz with its first installment, in which Edwards takes direct shots at LeBron James, Jaylen Brown, and new Timberwolves teammate LaMelo Ball.

The LeBron bit is the sharpest. James spent much of the offseason weighing a move to Minnesota before ultimately signing with the Philadelphia 76ers, and Edwards did not let that slide quietly. In the ad, he jokes that James' "knees couldn't handle the cold weather" — a line that landed harder given the monthlong free agency drama that preceded it. For good measure, Edwards also found time to roast James' hairline.

LaMelo Ball, now officially Edwards' running mate in Minnesota, got it too — mocked for bad driving in a segment that showcases exactly the kind of off-the-cuff charisma that has made Edwards one of the league's most marketable players. Jaylen Brown rounds out the targets, because apparently no one is safe when the AE3 needs promotion.

In a separate Adidas TikTok video, Edwards leaned into his reputation for unfiltered postgame quotes — this time rattling off the questions he's "so tired" of hearing, including repeated inquiries about the dunk contest and his shot selection. The tone is exactly on brand: confident, self-aware, and genuinely funny rather than manufactured.

The marketing machine isn't just entertainment. The AE3 "Cold Blooded" drop on Sept. 18 marks Edwards' third signature line with Adidas — a milestone that puts him in rare company among active players, and one that underscores how quickly he's ascended from Georgia prospect to global sports figure. A Yahoo Sports retrospective published this week revisited his pre-draft scouting report, noting that while Edwards outperformed expectations at the NBA level, the blueprint for his stardom was already visible during his one season with the Bulldogs.

Beyond the commercials, there's a larger context worth watching. The Sporting News reported this week that the NBA could face a significant structural decision regarding the Timberwolves as early as 2028 — one tied directly to Edwards' superstar status and Minnesota's revamped roster, which now includes Ball. The franchise has quietly assembled one of the more intriguing lineups heading into next season, and Edwards is the gravitational center of all of it.

For Bulldog fans, the offseason scoreboard is simple: their most famous NBA alum is selling shoes, roasting Hall of Famers, starring in a comedy series, and somehow still finding time to remind everyone that the questions he's tired of answering are questions being asked because he's that good. September belongs to Ant.