Anthony Edwards: T-Wolves Debut 'Not That Hard' Compared to College

Minnesota Timberwolves rookie Anthony Edwards was happy to find the freedom you're afforded when you're sharing the court with one or both of Karl-Anthony Towns and D'Angelo Russell.

"It's not that hard to be honest, coming out of being double-teamed in college," Edwards told reporters following his NBA debut in a 111-101 win over the Detroit Pistons. "... Even if it's a lot of defensive attention, it's still easier. You can't double all game. We got too many shooters."

Edwards finished with 15 points, four rebounds and four assists. He shot 5-of-12 from the floor but struggled a bit from the perimeter, making one of his five attempts. All in all, it was a solid debut from the No. 1 overall pick.

His postgame comments could be read as a tad arrogant, and playing in the NBA is clearly more difficult than playing in college.

However, Edwards' general point made sense.

The 19-year-old averaged 19.1 points in his freshman year at Georgia (Rayshaun Hammonds was the only other Bulldogs player to hit double figures). His' 30.1 percent usage rate was also the highest on the team, per Sports Reference.

Edwards was the best player on a Georgia squad that wasn't all that strong collectively. The Bulldogs were 16-16 when the COVID-19 pandemic abruptly ended the season.

As a result, Edwards commanded a lot of attention whenever he had the ball in his hands. That won't happen as frequently in Minnesota.

However, the quality of defending in the NBA is such that Edwards won't need to face double-teams to find life more arduous than what he experienced Wednesday night.