Anthony Edwards wanted his Minnesota Timberwolves to walk away with a big win on Monday night, so he willed and pushed himself and his team across the finish line.
Following Minnesota’s 117-110 win over the Golden State Warriors, Julius Randle praised Edwards and his effort.
Speaking with ESPN, he made it clear that it was Edwards who sparked the fire under the Timberwolves.
“I know it starts with us, but it’s [Anthony Edwards],” Randle said. “Ant’s the brightest star in the room … He has that ‘it’ factor. For me, I always try to tell him to go be great.”
Randle said he told Edwards to “go be great,” and that is exactly what the Timberwolves superstar did.
For the night, Edwards ended with 30 points on 11-of-21 shooting, along with five assists, four rebounds, and two steals.
He had a good night, but it was really the third quarter that set him apart from everyone else, when he posted 16 points and got his team firmly back in the game.
That followed a halftime speech that he gave in the locker room, zeroing in on what the Timberwolves were doing wrong and getting them back on track.
For years, Edwards has been hailed as one of the best young players in the NBA, but some critics have said he doesn’t have the temperament of a true leader.
He may struggle with that part of his game, but he didn’t on Monday.
He played well and also pushed the rest of his team forward, keeping their eyes on the prize and leading with greatness.
NEXT: Anthony Edwards Reveals His Message To Timberwolves During Game 4