Is Anthony Edwards going to be the Russell Westbrook of Shooting Guards

[Roseability]

It seems like Anthony Edwards is the most athletic player in the league and has talent in all areas where athleticism and aggressive play are involved. Yet for all his talent, his inefficiency at making shots (only 52.2% EFG) doesn’t bode well for surmounting future opponents such as The Nuggets or SGA’s Thunder (Shai’s 56.7% EFG). Will Antman avoid the Westbrook inefficiency curse? Can he become a legitimate top 5 player or will his inefficiency doom the effort?

[hauntedcomputer]

I find him a bit loathsome as a person but the dude is making improvements. There's still a small leap to becoming a real floor-raiser for other players that will determine his ultimate worth as a player, though.

The best players balance their ego and determination with the maturity to know that a better team is the ultimate goal.

[brutalitops]

What the **** are you talking about?

[rapstarter]

What the **** are you talking about?

Seems pretty clear what the OP means?

He's been right around or just below the league average in terms of scoring efficiency. That said, his first four years have been more promising than Westbrook's, and he's already a much better 3 point shooter.

[NO-KG-AI]

He doesn’t hold the ball nearly as much, so he doesn’t cripple you with bonehead decisions by being the only person touching the ball for 23 seconds.

[JujitsuFlip]

This is a reach, OP. Wes has never been able to shoot the rock from deep like Ant. Plus Wes' FT shooting fell off a cliff.

Should Ant convert FTs at a higher clip, sure. Should Ant shoot less middies, probably. But through 2 games of a series where they won both games, the guy is shooting 42.9% from deep on 7 attempts. Gonna be hard pressed to sway me into thinking this guy is the next inefficient guard.

[UcanUwill]

ANT looks more promising than RW to me. Westbrook was indeed athletic, but he felt out of control, couldn't change his speed nor mindset while in his prime. I think Rose getting injured robbed us, and fans forgot how the player with those gifts suppose to play. Never liked Rose's shot selection and some decision either, but I think overall, he played more intelligent and in control basketball than Westbrook. Russell would always shoot and run no matter the plan and is it even working. I think thats why Tony Allen loved playing him and had low opinion of Westbrook, Allen found the guy so easy to bait into bad shots.

Really, I just do not like Westbrooks game, I think he was detriment as much as an asset, ANT should and is better than that.

[Godymas]

i could see Ant having a DWade career where he’s clearly the guy early on but declines by the time he’s 30 because of how much athleticism his game has

[SSUBluesman]

What the **** are you talking about?

Seems pretty clear what the OP means?

He's been right around or just below the league average in terms of scoring efficiency. That said, his first four years have been more promising than Westbrook's, and he's already a much better 3 point shooter.

I think the response is due to the timing of the thread, coming off a game in which Ant clearly wasn't feeling it scoring the rock so he operated primarily as a facilitator which is the complete opposite of what Westbrook would do.

[LaLover11]

He's the Modern Jordan let's be honest

[KembaWalker]

I like Ants game the way it is, I’ll start getting concerned if they start talking about PG Ant. He might not be the most efficient guy around but I see his game having a lot of playoff resilience once he has some experience

[bake51]

When you watch Anthony Edwards, you see Russell Westbrook?

[life_saver]

how exactly is 52.2% considered inefficient for a guard ? Also Ant's efficiency has been elite so far in his playoff career for a volume scorer

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[dirkdiggler4177]

What are you talking about? Westbrook big problem has always been has been his decision-making. I remember watching him in his early days, 4th quarter, down by one point, dribble the ball up, and pull up for a long 3-pointer with a hand in his face with Durant standing on the other side. Ant could do the same, but he is a much better shooter.

If you are comparing Ant with someone, make it Booker, Tatum, and those guys. Not Shawn Marion trying to play pointguard aka. Westbrook.

[Billl]

Are you talking about the Anthony edwards putting up 26/5/5 on average efficiency as a 22 yr old? He's got some developing to do still if he wants to join a truly elite tier, but he's already a guy you can win playoff games with. Minn fans should be thrilled with the way he is progressing.

[Richard4444]

Westbrook was one of the best players in NBA in his prime. Shooting efficiency is not everything in a basketball game.

Comparing someone to him should not sound like an offense.

[Airmiess]

Ehh, Kobe and AI weren't really efficient career players. Ant can skate by.

[One_and_Done]

A stronger version of Kobe more like.

[Zadeh]

Prime westbrook was most selfish and greatest stat padder in nba history, his mvp award is the worst mvp award ever.
He left his oppenent to shoot freely for he can get rebound. His oppennent had nearly 10 percent higher fg% when westbrick defend.

Two of his teammate became allstar when they left OKC. % 95 of his rebounds was uncontested rebounds, there is n ot a such thing ever in Nba. He is anti of the team concept in basketball.

[Pelly24]

It seems like Anthony Edwards is the most athletic player in the league and has talent in all areas where athleticism and aggressive play are involved. Yet for all his talent, his inefficiency at making shots (only 52.2% EFG) doesn’t bode well for surmounting future opponents such as The Nuggets or SGA’s Thunder (Shai’s 56.7% EFG). Will Antman avoid the Westbrook inefficiency curse? Can he become a legitimate top 5 player or will his inefficiency doom the effort?

I really think y'all severely underestimate and misunderstand prime/peak Russell Westbrook.

Every Westbrook from 2011 through 2018 was *a lot* better than current Anthony Edwards, with 2014-2017 likely being significantly better than Edwards will ever be. I don't know why people can't see that, lol. Anthony Edwards is a guy averaging 25/5/4 on slightly below league average efficiency. Peak Westbrook averaged 31/11/10 on right at league average while being leagues and leagues superior as a playmaker. If this Wolves team had 2014-2017 Westbrook, they would likely go to the conference finals. He was too fast and too explosive with a much higher motor than Anthony Edwards. He could just attack and attack and attack like a battering ram mixed with a Tasmanian devil. He rarely had games where he wasn't very impactful, thats why advanced stats say he was better than KD during the 2016 postseason — and the eye test says it too.

The Timberwolves did not have a top 10 offense despite having KAT, who has like a 64 TS%. Their defense was like the best in the league, which is why they were so successful.

Westbrook played against historically great players and teams like the 2016 Warriors and the the 2012 heat and the 2014 spurs and clippers and always played up to par, was always amazingly impactful.

If I had to bet, I don't see Ant Edwards ever being a top 5 player, he lacks the intangible IQ and nuanced skill set and playmaking ability and motor. He isn't really better than Donovan Mitchell or Jalen Brunson. But he's on a team where the defense is great and there are multiple shooters and ballhandlrs so all he has to do is be a slightly above average volume scorer and pretty adequate defender. He's not in the same stratosphere as westbrook.