Anthony Edwards wants to play in the NFL and fans shouldn’t doubt how serious he is
Minnesota Timberwolves superstar Anthony Edwards says a lot of fascinating stuff but his latest comments are particularly intriguing.
Edwards, who was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft and is establishing himself as one of the most exciting young basketball players in the world, has big plans for his next few years.
The 23-year-old guard recently spoke to ESPN for a story about him and Minnesota Vikings star wide receiver Justin Jefferson. According to Edwards, if he wins an NBA championship in the next three to four years, he will play football.
If you read this quote plainly, you may think he is joking or trying to get a laugh from the interviewer.
But watch the way that Edwards said what he said and it is pretty obvious that he meant what he said. Remember: Edwards has said that football was his first love (via ESPN):
He says if he were drafted by the NFL tomorrow, he'd let basketball go. "Because you can do anything on the field," he explains. "You can spike the ball. You can dance. You can do all type of disrespectful stuff." In the NBA, he says, "you can't do any of that. You'll get fined."
Edwards was an excellent football player when he was growing up and he almost certainly still believes he could compete at the highest level.
While it is unclear if there is any chance this could actually happen, fans should believe that Edwards actually would want to make this dream into a reality.
This is not the first time Edwards has said he wants to become the first athlete to play in both the NBA and the NFL, and he is athletic enough to at least try if the Timberwolves can win a title.
Surprising free agents
As we get closer to the NBA season, there are several players around the league you may be surprised are not currently on a roster.
"It is not terribly surprising when notable veterans eventually age out of the market and do not settle on a home before the new season tips off. There are a few examples of that around the league right now (e.g. Robert Covington, Jae Crowder, JaVale McGee, Bismack Biyombo, and Justin Holiday) just like every other year.
Meanwhile, there are typically high draft picks who didn’t exactly reach their potential (e.g. Killian Hayes, James Bouknight, Kevin Knox, and James Bouknight) readily available as well.
But when slightly younger players who have shown promise do not have anywhere to play, it deserves a bit more of an eyebrow raise. Here are some of those names."
Shootaround
— Cheryl Reeve had a scathing critique of WNBA Finals refs after botched Breanna Stewart foul
— The Liberty trolled Courtney Williams with a Target bag after her Birkin quote
— Nick Nurse reacts to losing Tyrese Maxey after Sixers fall to Magic
— HoopsHype's Aggregate 2025 NBA Mock Draft 2.0: International prospects rise