The 2024-25 NBA season ended with history being made as the Oklahoma City Thunder lifted their first championship trophy since relocating to Oklahoma as they outlasted the Indiana Pacers in a thrilling seven-game NBA Finals.
Moreover Shai Gilgeous-Alexander secured the league MVP honors that left many stunned as some believed Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards had a strong claim to the award. Now with the 2025-26 season approaching, Edwards has delivered a bold warning to the rest of the league.
Anthony Edwards Is Eyeing a Championship
During a recent training camp interview, Edwards was asked if he envisioned himself winning the Defensive Player of the Year award. Without hesitation, the Timberwolves guard admitted he doesn’t expect to win that honor and also indirectly pointed to teammates Rudy Gobert and Jaden McDaniels as far more likely candidates.
“I don’t really think I’m going to be able to win Defensive Player of the Year, I got two of the best defenders on my team, so it’s gonna be hard for me to win. I don’t want to take it away from those guys,” said Edwards during the interview.
But Edwards didn’t stop there. Instead, he shifted the focus to his true goals which were to become the league’s Most Valuable Player and lead Minnesota to its first NBA championship.
“But as long as my impact is there every night, I should be okay. As long as I make the All-Defensive Team, that means something. But Defensive Player of the Year might be hard for me. But MVP and championship, that’s the goal,” added Edwards during the interview.
Edwards has every reason to feel confident as last season he averaged 27.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.6 blocks while logging a team-high 36.3 minutes per night.
He also took a major leap in efficiency as he knocked down a career-best 39.5% of his three-point attempts on heavy volume and converted 83.7% from the free-throw line. Though his overall field goal percentage sat at 44.7%, Edwards proved himself as Minnesota’s go-to offensive weapon.
His performance helped the Timberwolves finish with a (49-33) record and secure a playoff berth. In the postseason, Edwards powered his team past the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors in the first two rounds.
Unfortunately their journey ended in the Western Conference Finals where they fell to the Oklahoma City Thunder in a hard-fought series. Despite Edwards averaging 23.0 points per game in that series Minnesota couldn’t defeat Oklahoma.
While Edwards has made it clear that MVP and a title are his priorities, several former players believe he has the talent to achieve those goals soon. Only if he makes a few adjustments.
On an episode of the “All In” podcast, two-time NBA champion Mario Chalmers and 2016 champion Iman Shumpert discussed Edwards’ path toward MVP status. Both praised his athleticism and Shumpert even predicted that Edwards could capture the award within the next three years.
However, Shumpert also stressed one key improvement: developing a reliable back-to-the-basket game. In his view, adding that element would make Edwards virtually unstoppable in one-on-one situations.
“I like it too, I just need him to learn to play with his back to the basket. He don’t understand how important that is… But it’s that double team that bothered him. If he sees it coming and knows how to attack it, where you got your feet offset when you’re chasing in this position, as opposed to being able to slide, oh my lord. He’s going to be so dangerous,” said Shumpert during the podcast.
The stage is set for Edwards to make his move. With motivation fueled by last season’s MVP snub the question now becomes whether he can transform his bold words into reality when the 2025-26 season tips off.
