Q&A with Anthony Edwards: player mindset, comparisons & a final list

COLUMBIA, SC. – Anthony Edwards has been the talk of the winter thus far and after shaking up the industry with his reclassification into the 2019 class, he has taken things one step further towards a college commitment. Now down to a final list of five, Florida State, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky or UNC will land arguably the best scorer in America.

Following his time at the Chick-Fil-A Classic where his Holy Spirit team failed to achieve the on the floor success that he had hoped for, we pulled Edwards aside for a complete Q-and-A. In doing so, we asked the five-star guard about his identity as a ballplayer, who he patterns his game after, each of his finalists and when a commitment should be expected.

Corey Evans (CE): I know that things didn’t go as well as you would have hoped this week but what is your mindset as a complete ballplayer?

Anthony Edwards (AE): I just have to go out there and fill the stat sheet. I can’t just go out there and score. I need to help my bigs rebound and help my guards do whatever else it takes to win.

(CE): How do you win.

(AE): I try to compete to the best of my abilities.

(CE): Do you try and change the narrative that you’re more than just a big-time scorer?

(AE): Not really. That is what I do. I score the ball. I am going to help my team regardless.

(CE): The comparisons are thrown out for you with guys like Brad Beal and James Harden but personally, who do you watch and try to take some things from?

(AE): Dwyane Wade and Victor Oladipo. They just work on their body and work on their game. They always are scoring.

(CE): That brings us to recruiting and funny how it might be, Tom Crean coached both of those guys in college. What are your feelings about Georgia?

(AE): They are great. My family is home and Georgia is home, so staying home could be a good idea.

(CE): What has Coach Crean told you about how you might be used if you were to go there?

(AE): He is talking about how he would develop me as a player and off of the floor, too, as a young man.

(CE): James Wiseman decided to do it this year and Trae Young last year. Does that idea intrigue you in doing it, too? Staying home, that is.

(AE): Yeah, it definitely does.

(CE): Florida State is a program that has been often discussed about you. What are your feelings there with them?

(AE): They are like family with me. They are always going to be in the mix.

(CE): What do you think of the campus down there?

(AE): I haven’t taken an official visit there yet but I am plan on doing so soon.

(CE): Kentucky made the cut. Why?

(AE): Big blue blood school and they get a lot of pros. It is just a great school.

(CE): Another one is Kansas. What’s their pitch?

(AE): That they are a great guard school and that they let their guards hoop.

(CE): What is Bill Self looking for you to do there?

(AE): Lead, score, rebound, defend and really, everything.

(CE): UNC made it, too, so what are they telling you?

(AE): He (Roy Williams) lets his guards rock. Joel Berry and right now, Coby White, he lets his guards go to work and that is why I like UNC.

(CE): Anything set for now?

(AE): No, not right now.

(CE): You have moved pretty swiftly by reclassifying and cutting your list twice. What is the next step?

(AE): I don’t know yet. I haven’t really thought about it much. I just know my top five for now.