Anthony Edwards is a perfect product of the NBA Media Machine

There is no longer an argument about it: Anthony Edwards is the face of the NBA.

This title is not permanent. Victor Wembanyama and Cooper Flagg are not far behind. But Edwards is currently the face of this league because he is unfathomable, a defiant, competitive freak. Edwards will also wear this crown because, despite the far north, the NBA media machine exploded more perfectly than Adam Silver would have hoped.

Edwards was confiscated in 2020 and was not a lock to be great. The pandemic blew his draft into the air and Minnesota was asked that it was brought to the top. After all, they were the timber wolves.

In his second season, Edwards used the newly created play-in tournament. At the age of 21 he led Minnesota to defeat the experienced clipper in the single elimination matchup. Ten of his 30 points came in the fourth quarter.

When the league created the additional follow -season round, it was all the league wanted: a young star who got an additional shot for Dazzle Hoops fans on national television. Anthony Edwards became Ant-Man. If not quite a well -known name, it was a name that is known in many households.

When the Timberwolves dropped their veterinarians and hugged a youth movement, Edwards became the all-star for the first time in 2023. At that time, the NBA still broadcast a draft in the playground style of all all-stars live on TNT. With his first choice as a western conference captain, the great LeBron James Edwards chose.

The first reserves -pool picks are in 👀

Team Giannis: Damian Lillard
Team LeBron: Anthony Edwards#Nbaallstardraft Presented by Jordan Brand
📺: live on TNT pic.twitter.com/xpi2wud8nm

– NBA (@nba) February 20, 2023

Talk about a platform. The Atlanta child fulfilled it in its first appearance with 12 points in 17 minutes.

If sports fans didn't know Edwards before, they did it now. This was the child who shocked the draft boards, blinded it in the game and attracted attention.

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In his second post-season appearance, Edwards again scored 48 percent over 27 points per game. This included a 41-point game 2 in Denver, but Minnesota lost in five games.

Edwards was still a tire 22 and was coordinated with his idol Kevin Durant in the first round in 2024. The clear edwards could not help but praise Durant in the run -up to the series. It was a memory that he was still a child, but soon he was the NBA king – a boy from blood.

Edwards and the timber wolves Slightly durant's sun. In the next round they won a Shock Road Game 7 in Denver to gather for the West Finale. In front of plan, Edwards was on the big stage. NBA historians were beaten up and compared the wild two-guardian To the big Michael Jordan. But Edwards and the wolves left the steam in the conference finale and lost in five games against Dallas.

Minnesota and his young superstar had announced themselves as main supports at the head of the league.

A month later, Edwards drove to Paris for the Olympic Games. If the squad was a descendant of the Dream team in 2024, Edwards was a overqualified Christian Laettner. In the way he played and dealt with himself, Edwards made it clear that he thought he was one of the best in the team, regardless of age.

Anthony Edwards is not too little trust. Like: “I'm the best guy out there”. At the same time, the youngest player in the USA team takes up everything he can do from his all-world teammates.@loganmmurdock:

– The wrestler (@ringer) July 23, 2024

In autumn, Edwards was the star of two Netflix documentary films that covered the world of basketball. While Start 5 The fans did not look through and looked closely at Edwards' off-court life and personality. Gold gold Charted Team USA's gold medal trip in Paris and Edwards became Viral because of his fraternal proximity to Durant and his polite influence with Barack Obama.

If someone benefited from the first excursion of the streamer to the content of Hoops, it was Edwards.

At this time, Edwards also became notorious for unfortunate rumors about his relationships outside of basketball. Scenes from an earlier era of sport-fold in real time in modern social media apps as paternity and custody fights through the dishes.

It was not treated in mainstream media, but the young fans who undoubtedly spend their days online saw the headlines. Edwards became famous and notorious for his achievements on the pitch because it was famous for harmless news cycles.

Well, here he is talking to the NBA again.

The greatest history of the season was the unique sale of Luka Dončić from the Dallas Mavericks. This step rejuvenated a plateaing lakers team that is still the Marquee tie on the league and gives James a last window to fight for a championship. Los Angeles earned three seeds and had some prominent analysts that they watched on a title.

Edwards closed the door. A more sophisticated version of his game was created. Edwards interrupted a five-game beatdown of the Lakers with 43 points in another statement victory on the street in game 4. It was the most watched NBA series in the first round in decades.

Oh – and these double pumps. Edwards drove against the Lakers Center Jaxson Hayes and shot through the air like a ball out of the weapons Wanted And bent the ball through the edge with a torch.

Postgame, Edwards wandered through the streets of downtown LA and spoke to everyone who listened to a moment to become online. It has, of course.

Anthony Edwards leads a round of victory in Los Angeles 💀

(above @Rebootjays)))pic.twitter.com/x5jp52m0f

– Legion Hoops (@legionhoops) May 1, 2025

So it should work. Durant and James, two of the most popular NBA stars of the century, accidentally presented fans of Edwards by competing against them. It is what Tom Brady did with Patrick Mahomes and what Larry Bird and Magic Johnson did with Michael Jordan. The children have the attention of legends. The NBA opening and Christmas time plans do this all the time. In this case, Edward's overall ranking entered a random position that he confiscated.

In the meantime, we know that the NBA is facing a bad challenge to transfer the hype for social media to the TV viewer and the presence that actually bring money to the league. Edwards is the type of star, the type of face that the league represents on feeds and by algorithms. TV studio shows and even podcasts don't always talk about him as they do with the team that he just displaced.

At the same time, the traditional NBA Media Machine also did a damn good job to pack it. From the league agency via Bristol via Paris and back to the tiles of Netflix, Edwards is where basketball takes place. Its size places him in the spotlight, but the forces of the league will not leave him.

If you love this sport (and despite the reviews that Cassandras tell you, many people do), you were made to at least have an opinion about Edwards. Regardless of whether he inspires you, puts you off or only get you to adjust, there are very few basketball players who are more interested in.

This is what you say about the face of a league.