19-year-old rookie Anthony Edwards was picked first in the 2020 NBA Draft. And while optimism set in early for Edwards and his team, it didn’t take very long for things to spiral downward.
At this point, with the first half of the season over, the Wolves are probably the NBA’s worst team, and Edwards has fallen mighty short of expectations so far. According to Ricky Rubio, though, his struggles this season could be due to his current environment.
“I said it from day one: I think we have a gem here. We have something. He’s going to be really good in this league. But there’s been a lot of good players who didn’t make it because they get lost in the situation they were in at the beginning.”
Ricky Rubio on Anthony Edwards:
"I said it from day one: I think we have a gem here. We have something. He’s going to be really good in this league. But there’s been a lot of good players who didn’t make it because they get lost in the situation they were in at the beginning."
— Dane Moore (@DaneMooreNBA) March 13, 2021
Rubio went on to say: "I’m trying to help him to really get where he can be without getting lost in everything that’s going on."
— Dane Moore (@DaneMooreNBA) March 13, 2021
Obviously, surroundings have a lot to do with how successful a young player is during their first few years in the league. It’s a time of growth and development that helps to map out the rest of their career.
Edwards is in a tough situation in Minnesota — a struggling team with no clear direction. But perhaps with the help of Rubio, and some perseverance, Edwards can blossom into the star we all know he can become.
