PSO Scouting Report: G Anthony Edwards

PSO’s original Scouting Reports strive to be uniquely valuable in evaluating a player’s future outlook by focusing on the four main subjects that summarize a player’s likelihood of succeeding at the next level including: Natural Athleticism, developed NBA-Caliber Skills, proven Production, and overall Risk that each individual player presents to a team drafting him. For a full breakdown of PSO’s Scouting Reports, click here.

Bio

Pos: SG

Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia

Team: University of Georgia

Class: Freshman

DOB (Age): 8/5/01 (Age 19)

Height: 6’5″

Weight: 225 lbs.

Facts to Know

Edwards was the highest ranked recruit (Rivals #3, 247sports #1, ESPN #4) to ever commit to Georgia
Was one of the top Pop Warner running backs in the country before shifting his focus to basketball
Edwards led all freshman in scoring this season and was a finalist for the Jerry West award (top SG in NCAA)
Recently said “I’m still not really into [watching basketball]. I love basketball, yeah, it’s what I do”

Athleticism

Pros

Great vertical leaping ability which shows when he drives to the basket
Great reaction time and fast twitch which allows his to contort his body in the air
First step is very good and had the ability to get around any defender
Quick feet seen when locked in on defense, lots of potential to grow in this area
Has the strength to overpower other guards with his stocky frame, and shed defenders at the rim
Combination of strength and speed make smaller guards look helpless while guarding him
Overall athleticism will make him a force in the paint both on and off ball

Cons

Balance on defensive end is not great, he is rarely low to the ground in his stance
Explosiveness decreases significantly when he is jumping straight up when not on the run

Grade: A-

NBA Skills

Pros

Pure scorer that can burn the opponent from anywhere on the court
Can consistently hit step-back 3s and contested 3s like it’s nothing
Showed an ability to convert tough finishes, and1’s, and dunks over defenders
Has a plethora of moves to create his own shot; both behind the arc and in the paint
No issues with shooting off the dribble in tight lanes
Great for past paced NBA; has the ability to control the pace of the offense
Good on ball defender when locked in, will need to be coached to stay locked in

Cons

Shot selection needs to improve, tried to do way too much during his time at Georgia
Lacks the ability to make good reads, be an above-average passer, or facilitate for others
Needs to be more consistent off the ball on defense, fell asleep too often

Grade: A-

Production

Pros

Averaged 19.1 ppg against top NCAA competition
48.5% of shot attempts are from behind the arc
30.4% usage rate shows he was always a focal point of the team while on the floor
Three 30-point games throughout the year (33 points in one half against top ranked Michigan State)
Production=Wins; Georgia was 7-3 when Edwards scored 24+ points

Cons

Subpar shooting percentages 40% from the field, 29% from 3-point range, 77% FT
Low defensive (103) and offensive rating (105), not what teams want to see from top prospects
1.05 AST/TO ratio; even if he is not the main ball handler should not be having 2.7 TOs per game
20.8 PER is low for a potential #1 overall prospect in the draft
Bad advanced defensive metrics, wins shares were low bringing up questions about isolation game

Grade: B

Risk

Pros

Will always be able to rely on athleticism, which is his greatest strength
Has the potential to be elite on both sides of the ball with the right development
Physically ready for NBA with room to add weight and become even more dominant
No glaring weakness from a fundamental standpoint
Best scorer in the draft who can get buckets in his sleep
Has proven to be a very coachable player
Has no concerns about character or injury
Overcome adversity/death in his life, yet always brings a positive attitude
Admitted his lack of effort in interviews so that shouldn’t be a problem anymore
Reads the game well and learns from his mistakes

Cons

Questions about if he can be first option on offense; mostly because of poor percentages
Likely won’t make teammates much better due to his lack of facilitating
Didn’t win much in College which teams would have liked to see
Does he love the game and have the motor to be in the gym at 6am to improve and live up to his potential?

Grade: A-

Overall

As the shift in the NBA continues towards isolation and pick and roll basketball, it is obvious why GMs see Edwards as a future star. He is a pure scorer with a plethora of pro-ready moves. The scary part is that he has the potential to build upon this already strong base that was seen from James Harden and Donovan Mitchell during their first few years in the league.

Edwards is obviously not at that level yet, but he showed more than just “flashes” during his freshman year at Georgia. He was head and shoulders above his teammates in terms of pure talent which was a blessing and a curse. Often finding himself doubled or needing to take difficult shots late in the game, his shooting percentages were low as a result. Despite these struggles, whatever franchise decides to take Edwards will be getting someone who has the potential to develop into one of the premier players in the league.

Pro Comp: Donovan Mitchell (UTA)

Projected Round/Pick: Top 3

Prime Destinations: MIN (#1), GSW (#2) CHA (#3)

OVERALL Grade: A-