'I believe it and I put in the work': Anthony Edwards's poetic response about greatness

"I think you know what I think, right?" Edwards told a reporter who echoed Connelly's claim. Yeah," the reported said, "but can you say it?" "I mean, yeah, I think he right," said Edwards.

Anthony Edwards / Nolan O'Hara

Anyone who's paid attention to Anthony Edwards for any amount of time knows that he's fearless. Not just on the court, but also when talking about where he sees himself in the superstar hierarchy — and Timberwolves bossman Tim Connelly has raised the bar.

"We continue to challenge Anthony because we think he can be one of the best players ever. We don't say that lightly, and with that expectation comes tremendous responsibility," Connelly, fresh off of trading Karl-Anthony Towns to the Knicks, said at the team's media day Monday.

"He's grown tremendously as a leader. He's starting to find his voice where he's more comfortable calling guys out in a positive manner. He's one of the more positive great players I've been around. There's no skipping steps. We're asking him to do something that's really, really, really hard; very few guys in the NBA have ever done it, but we think he's capable."

Is Connelly right about Edwards becoming one of the best to ever do it?

"I think you know what I think, right?" Edwards told a reporter who asked him about Connelly's claim. "Yeah," the reporter said, "but can you say it?" "I mean, yeah, I think he right," said Edwards.

Edwards doesn't typically penetrate below the surface of a question about his perceived greatness, but on Monday he was poetic and though-provoking when he explained what it takes to be great.

"Just work. I feel like that's the only way, man," Edwards answered. "I think a lot of guys got a chance to be really great at this game but I think they just don't believe it. Some guys put the work in, don't believe it. Some guys believe and don't put the work in. I believe it and I put the work in. If it don't happen, it don't. If it do, it does, which, it probably will happen."

In lockstep, Connelly — well before Edwards ever got to the press conference table — applauded Edwards's work ethic.

"His habits are elite and I think that because of that we'll see these tremendous jumps each and every year," Connelly said, noting that he's "unbelievably encouraged by his continued development."

Edwards said he worked on his "catch-and-shoot trey ball" more than anything this offseason, which was shorter than normal because of how far the Timberwolves went in the playoffs and because Edwards played for Team USA at the Paris Olympics. The end result is a man on a mission and entering the season in the best shape of his life.

"Just being in shape. I think that was the best thing about the whole summer. Playing basketball for two months, playing the best basketball of my life for two months, playing against the best players ever in practice, five-on-five, continuously. I think that was the best thing, getting in shape," Edwards said. "I'm in the best shape I've ever been in."

The best player on perhaps the best team is in the best shape of his life. That's the best news possible for a Timberwolves team looking to reach new heights in 2024-25.