The Making of a Superstar: Anthony Edwards

Anthony Edwards doesn’t consider himself a superstar.

He certainly carries the aura of one. He appears on giant Adidas billboards proclaiming his debut signature model the sneaker of the year. (In fact, Complex gave the AE 1 that award in our 2024 year-end ranking.) His collection of posterizing dunks over his first five seasons is more than some players accumulate in their entire careers. His show-stopping highlights, which sometimes seem like frame-by-frame recreations of Michael Jordan’s most iconic plays, have even garnered comparisons to His Airness. But when I ask the 23-year-old what’s challenging about superstardom, he dismisses the title.

“I would say I haven't been playing like it this year,” says Edwards. “This is my first time where I'm having my own team, and I haven't been showing it. I don't think I'm a superstar yet.”

It’s a surprisingly humble statement from Edwards, who is typically seen talking trash to anyone who steps in his path on the court, taunting like a WWE wrestler after big plays, and has claimed on multiple occasions that he could switch sports and play in the NFL if he wanted to.

Perhaps the rough first half of the 2024-25 NBA regular season is weighing on him just a bit. After a blockbuster offseason trade sent Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks, his Minnesota Timberwolves stumbled out of the gate. There were glimpses of the high-caliber player we all know he can be, but Edwards has also dealt with a few setbacks. When we sit down to chat, he was less than 24 hours removed from a disappointing 15-point performance in a 118-115 loss to the Boston Celtics. Following the game, Edwards voiced his frustration with teams double-teaming him and forcing him to pass more. Charles Barkley said that Edwards had regressed on Inside the NBA later that night.

Despite the recent struggles and criticisms that have been hurled his way, a smile eventually comes across Edwards face on this particular Friday evening in January. The sun has just set in Detroit as he poses for photographs in front of white tile wall in a church gymnasium wearing a gray knit Loewe polo, extra-long Pro Club fleece cargo shorts, and a pair of Adidas Crazy 8s. He raps along to Lil Wayne’s “Go DJ,” hitting dribble moves in between bars from the classic track like he’s on a character-select screen in NBA Ballers. After a quick visit to the dressing room, Edwards reemerges in a new outfit consisting of a white tank top, black shorts, and a neck-breaking pair of chrome AE 1s that look like they could have jumped straight off a rap video in the 2000s.

He starts putting up shots. Tomorrow night, he’ll be doing it against the Detroit Pistons in front of tens of thousands of screaming fans in Little Caesars Arena. Right now for this photo shoot, Edwards is about 14 miles away, letting it rain from the top of the key in the Assumption Grotto gym for a crowd of about a dozen. After clanking the first couple, he rips off six straight as NBA YoungBoy blasts from a nearby Bluetooth speaker. His best friend Nick Maddox—who Edwards affectionately refers to as “Slick,” and who you may recognize from his cameos in AE 1 commercials—is standing a few feet away, gassing him up after each shot tickles the twine. Edwards' pearly white smile after each make is almost as blinding as the sneakers on his feet and the diamonds in his ears. He caps off his performance with a Steph Curry-esque celebration, turning around before the ball reaches the rim. Swish. Edwards is in the zone.

His hot streak carried over to the following night. He scored a career-high 53 points against the Pistons (albeit in a loss). It jumpstarted what has been a red-hot 2025 for Edwards following his shaky start. Five days later, he put Orlando’s Anthony Black on a poster. On Jan. 13, he dropped 41 on the heads of the Washington Wizards in a 120-106 victory. Since his 53-point explosion, Edwards has averaged 32.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game. He’s back to being the player who has caused many fans to anoint him the next face of the NBA. It’s another title he’s hesitant to accept outright, but happy to be in the conversation for.

“That's hard. I can't downplay it,” says Edwards. “But I'll say, you got a lot of people, not just me. You got Shai, Luka, Ja, Tatum, Jaylen Brown, I still feel like Giannis up there. We all competing for it.”

Lofty expectations are nothing new for Edwards. He was a five-star high school recruit coming out of Holy Spirit Prep in Atlanta, a feat made even more impressive when you realize Edwards grew up wanting to be a football player. He played running back, quarterback, and cornerback in Pop Warner. He only really started taking basketball more seriously after an ankle injury in eighth grade ended his football career. The next year, he dunked for the first time. The rest, as they say, is history.

Edwards played college ball at the University of Georgia, a school known much more for its football program than basketball, but it was close to home. After just one year as a Bulldog that resulted in SEC Freshman of the Year honors, he was selected by Minnesota with the first overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. Since joining the Association, he has improved each year in almost every facet of his game. Now, the basketball world collectively watches in anticipation as he tries to lead the Timberwolves to an NBA championship, something that has eluded them for their entire 35-year history.

Heading into this season, it seemed like the prospects of a title in the Twin Cities were as close as they’ve been since the days of Kevin Garnett and Sam Cassell. The Wolves were coming off a Western Conference Finals appearance in which Edwards led the team in scoring with 24.6 points per game. It was the first time the franchise had made it that far in the postseason since 2004, but they were ultimately ousted by the Dallas Mavericks in five games. Despite coming up short, it seemed like Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns were the dynamic duo that could finally lead Minnesota to the promised land.

And then it was all gone. On Oct. 3, 2024, KAT was traded to the Knicks in a three-team deal; Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo were shipped to Minnesota. Just a few weeks before the season, the pressure intensified on Edwards to make it all work with a new-look Timberwolves squad. Adjusting to a new team dynamic is the latest in a series of challenges that he’s had to navigate so far in life.

Of course, any on-court struggles are nothing compared to the tough circumstances that Edwards endured to get to this point. In 2015, when he was in eighth grade, he lost both his mother and grandmother to cancer. Their memories continue to fuel Edwards’ prolific career. On draft day, he sat between paintings of both of them on his couch in Atlanta as he watched Adam Silver call his name. The number 5 on his jersey is a tribute to them, as they both passed away on the 5th of the month. Anyone who follows Edwards on social media has likely seen the hashtag #DIFM2 (Do It For Mom x 2). It’s yet another way that Edwards has continued to honor the memory of the two women who helped shape him into the man he is today.

The value that Edwards places on his family and friends is impossible to ignore, even in my short time with him in Detroit. Edwards and Slick are constantly going back and forth, cracking jokes for the entirety of the shoot. When asked what his favorite part of the AE 1 rollout has been, he says any time that Slick was alongside him. There’s even a baby-blue colorway of the AE 1 Low dedicated to Slick that was released in November 2024. Growing up, Edwards didn’t idolize a player in the NBA or try to model his game after anyone. He looked up to his older brother, Bubba. He laughs about playing with his nieces and nephews on mini hoops. Even asking him what the last movie he watched circles back to his family. It was Finding Nemo. Why? His daughter is obsessed with it right now and watches it daily.

That loving nature carries over to his relationship with the fans. When asked about the toughest part of NBA stardom, he doesn’t say it’s the memes or the internet rumor mill. He stays off social media to avoid those things. He says it’s not being able to engage with all of the young fans who look up to him and buy tickets to see him play each and every night. “You want to be able to sign everybody's items, shoes and stuff, but we don't want to sign all day. I think that's the hardest part,” he says.

The AE Hive will only spread into more regions of the world as the young star continues his ascent to the top of the NBA mountain. A Larry O’Brien Trophy hasn’t been secured yet, but Edwards has experienced winning it all. He helped Team USA capture a gold medal in Men’s Basketball at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. It was his first time playing in the global tournament. Spending a lot of time with legends like LeBron, KD, and Steph was beneficial to the young star. He was able to soak up some of the game that will help take him to that next level.

“I think the biggest thing I learned from all three of them is they don't change their routine no matter what's going on in their day. Especially Steph and LeBron, whatever they do on every game day, they doing that. Every time,” says Edwards with a laugh. “I work out. But watching them, it's like, ‘Okay, I got to really lock in for real.’ They really be locked in.”

With those veterans in the twilight of their Hall of Fame careers, the NBA has found itself at a crossroads. Despite a promising crop of young stars around the league like Edwards and Victor Wembanyama, viewership was down 28% through the first 18 games this season, according to Front Office Sports. Some have written off the chatter around the ratings drop as meaningless, hot-take discourse. Others have attributed the dip to factors like load management and the unexciting current style of play, dominated by teams trading three-pointers every possession.

“What they want us to do? It's four people in the paint. If they leaving us open for the three ball, I think that's just taking what the game give you,” says Edwards. “You got Wemby. You got these boys. They tall. They big. They blocking shots, man. We not forcing our way to the paint every time. So, everybody can think what they want to think, but I just feel like the game changes. Guys want to shoot threes and guys are good at it. The viewership is down. I don't know what they got to do, lower the rim or something?”

Edwards has adjusted to the new way of the NBA. He’s taking the most three-pointers of his career this season and leads the league in three-pointers made. However, he does acknowledge that the play style isn’t for everyone.

“I think seeking out threes is too much,” says Edwards. “You got guys who're seeking out threes that aren’t always great shooters. I get where the fans and past NBA players are coming from with that standpoint. But I feel like if you can shoot 'em, shoot 'em, especially if you open. They giving you the shot, what else you going to take? They giving you the trey ball, you better take it. That's the game. You better take what they give you.”

Pundits may be harping on the NBA’s three-pointer obsession, but Edwards has another element of today’s game that he thinks needs fixing.

“I just wish we could celebrate without getting a tech,” says Edwards. “Let dudes get in each other face and stuff. Talk a little trash without T’ing them up real quick.”

It’s an understandable suggestion. Edwards’ 13 technical fouls lead the NBA this year. You could buy a new Lambo with what he’s paid in fines this season: $35,000 for flipping the bird on the court; $100,000 for saying “I don’t do overtime, so fuck it” during a live television interview after hitting a game-winning three; $75,000 for criticizing officials; and $25,000 for saying “fucking” and “bitch” in a postgame interview. On Jan. 12, he received his latest fine: $50,000 for more middle fingers, this time in the direction of an official. Now that the fines keep mounting, Edwards is working a bit harder to censor himself.

“That's my money being taken,” he says. “I'm definitely thinking about it.”

The same raw and unfiltered commentary that is costing Edwards some game checks is part of what makes him so relatable. It’s the type of authenticity that we haven’t really seen from an NBA star since Allen Iverson’s prime in Philadelphia back in the 2000s.

Sometimes Edwards is echoing what many fans think, like in February 2024 after the All-Star Game, when he said he didn’t look at the annual exhibition as a competitive event. This year, that might change. The 2025 All-Star Game in San Francisco on February 16 will consist of a four-team, three-game mini tournament. The first team to score 40 will win each game. The prospect of more playing time already has Edwards’ ears perking up.

“I'm going to get real minutes? Oh yeah, imma hoop,” he says with his typical confidence.

Other times, Edwards is throwing shade at past eras of the NBA, like when he said players in the ’90s besides Jordan weren’t as talented as the players of today. “They say it was tougher back then than it is now, but I don't think anybody had skill back then,” Edwards told The Wall Street Journal. “[Michael Jordan] was the only one that really had skill … But now everybody has skill.” As you might expect, legends like Isiah Thomas and Kevin Garnett didn’t take those words lightly. (Magic Johnson clapped back: “I never respond to a guy who's never won a championship.”) Today, Edwards doesn’t take back what he said, but he does clarify that he didn’t mean every player back then was less talented.

“The players that was fye know who they is,” says Edwards. “I ain't got to call 'em out individually. They know. The ones who hurt, they hurt.”

Despite ruffling the feathers of league officials and NBA legends, Edwards has had no problem growing his brand away from the basketball court. He’s a face of global brands like Sprite and Chipotle. He starred alongside Adam Sandler in the Netflix original movie Hustle.

But nothing has raised his profile more than his signature sneaker line with Adidas. The AE 1 debuted in November 2023 and was an instant success. In an era when performance basketball sneakers rarely break into the lifestyle space, the AE 1 shifted perception. Its futuristic design looked just as natural on a basketball court as it did on the street.

“I definitely was surprised. I knew they was hard myself, but of course you don't know what everybody is going to think,” says Edwards. “I would be driving to the games and looking outside of the bus or at the airport, and I would see everybody rocking them.”

Some people even started to lace up their pairs with jeans and cargo pants, something we haven't really seen since the 2010s, when Nike KDs, Kobes, and LeBrons were what Asics and New Balance are today. “I think Wale was the first one to rock him with some jeans, the ‘Velocity Blues.’ I think he started the trend. So shout out to him,” says Edwards.

The ad campaigns were another huge reason for the AE 1’s success. Directed by Onda, each took place in a space with peach walls and highlighted various aspects of Edwards’ authentic personality. In one, his buddy Slick reads criticisms from Cam’ron and Carmelo Anthony as Edwards reacts to them during a shootaround. (Ant Man keeps his receipts.) In another, Edwards is strapped up to a lie detector and asked if the AE 1s are the “best shoe in the game” or if the Celtics had an easy path to the championship last season.

Of course, it also helps that Edwards keeps creating new moments to immortalize his sneakers. It’s hard not to see Edwards jump over John Collins and dunk on his head and not want to go out and buy a pair of the “Georgia Clay” AE 1s on his feet.

The resounding success of the AE 1 has fans clamoring for the sequel, but Adidas and Edwards aren’t finished with the AE 1 just yet. Edwards hints at a few more special colorways in the pipeline. During our photo shoot he shows off two of them: a champagne-colored low-top and the previously-China exclusive chrome pair that we can already see becoming a hot commodity once it hits stores stateside in 2025.

As for the AE 2, Edwards can’t say much yet. He just asks for some patience.

“I feel like I know what the outside world wants when it comes to shoes and stuff, lifestyle. So it's hard for me not to make something that's going to pop,” says Edwards. “Be patient. It's on the way. Can't rush it.”

As our interview comes to a close, I leave Edwards with one final question: “What’s the most misunderstood thing about Anthony Edwards?” He sits in silence for a minute pondering the right response, but ultimately nothing comes to him. Instead I ask, “What’s something that you wish more people knew about you?” He smiles from ear to ear.

“I can really play spades,” says Edwards. “That's what I might do when I retire. I might start up a spades league tournament. I'm for real, bro.”

At least he considers himself a superstar in something.