Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch on Wednesday revealed that guard Anthony Edwards hit a growth spurt last season during his rookie year.
Finch, speaking with the Star Tribune, said Edwards has grown about two inches since the Timberwolves took him with the No. 1 overall pick last year. Edwards was listed at 6-foot-4 last season by the Timberwolves and will now be approximately 6-foot-6 for his sophomore year.
“This is a very Ant thing,” Finch said at the Star Tribune booth at the Minnesota State Fair. “He told me, ‘Don’t let me get to 6-6 or I’ll be Michael Jordan.'”
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Edwards, who finished runner-up for Rookie of the Year, averaged 19.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.1 steals in 72 games last season. He led the rookie class in scoring, producing 36 games with at least 20 points. Edwards was one of 11 players to play all 72 games.
The 20-year-old has been seen in the gym this offseason working on his 3-point shot. He proved to be a dynamic scorer last season but, after shooting 32.9% from beyond the arc, needed to work to become more efficient and appears to be fine-tuning that aspect of his game.
The recent growth spurt will enable the Timberwolves to utilize Edwards at the power forward position some, which should give them more options on offense. It is not that common for players to grow this late in their careers but the Timberwolves will certainly look to capitalize on it.
This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
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