Anthony Edwards Credits Steve Kerr With Improving His Work Ethic

The Golden State Warriors are in the NBA Finals this year despite not having a player they expected to be a key piece of their reload in James Wiseman, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. Wiseman was taken after Anthony Edwards and before LaMelo Ball, with Golden State hoping he would be the big man missing from their lineup once they got fully healthy again, but injuries have sidelined him for much of his first two seasons.

So far this postseason, that role has been filled tremendously by Kevon Looney, but given the success of Edwards and Ball early in their careers in Minnesota and Charlotte respectively, it’s hard not to feel the Warriors could’ve built an even stronger roster by using that No. 2 pick on either of the talented guard prospects. From the perspective of Ball and Edwards, while they’ve been terrific in their first two years, it’s not hard to wonder just how well they could’ve fit on a contender like the Warriors and the impact that could’ve had on their development — good or bad, given the pressure immediately placed on them.

While promoting the upcoming movie, Hustle, Anthony Edwards told Kenny Smith about his Warriors workout and how he credits some constructive criticism he got from Steve Kerr that he says became a turning point in his effort level when working out.

As Edwards notes, Kerr not letting him coast in the workout and telling him how guys like Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant always worked out at game speed, no matter the drill and no matter how long they were in the gym, opened his eyes to what great players do and he immediately wanted to implement that mentality. So far that’s paid off as he has made steady strides in his first two years in Minnesota, becoming one of the two best players on a playoff roster alongside Karl-Anthony Towns, with Wolves fans having plenty to be optimistic about with regards to him only getting better — thanks in part to some sage advice from the Warriors head coach.