This is the most significant change in Anthony Edwards this season. Already a consumer of 3-point shots for several years, the Wolves back has now made it his main weapon. Above all, he has established himself as an elite shooter, among the best in the league.
The proof in figures: with 103 winning shots scored, no one does better in the league, and only Jayson Tatum – by a short head – attempts more than him (242 against 241). In addition, with its 42.7% success rate, it displays remarkable efficiency for such a volume.
The 2024 Olympic champion is even rather proud of his gesture, more elegant than in the past. “He’s super handsome. Kudos to Chris Hines,” he emphasizes The Athletic. “It's not the prettiest but I'm not trying to have the prettiest shot. I want it to fit. Yes, it's pretty good, but if it fits, it's better. »
Refine and simplify your shoot
Chris Hines is an assistant coach for the Wolves, who works daily with the back after a distant start to his relationship.
“He hated me from the start,” smiled the coach. “He told me he didn't want me to change his game. I didn't want that, I just wanted to refine it and everything would be fine. »
So we had to work with a brush and make small adjustments to the All-Star game. Starting with the player's natural qualities: his dribbling, his finishing near the circle and his support. Then, he tackled the shoot, the gesture of the one nicknamed “Ant”. “He had a pretty decent and solid shot. We just wanted to make it firmer”specifies Chris Hines.
Making it “firmer” means simplifying it so that it is easier to reproduce. Anthony Edwards had several flaws to correct. First, he had a tendency to lower the ball too much before his shot. Then, after bringing the ball up to shoot and before sending, he brought it back behind his head. Additionally, the positioning of his elbows was not always good. Thus, if we raise the ball from higher and release it in front of the face and not behind, then the gesture is faster, and therefore less likely to be modified during the movement.
“We were in the room four to five times a day just shooting. Shoot again and again”, says the player. “I tried to perfect my shot. At the beginning, when I arrived in the league, people said that I could penetrate but not shoot. I've been trying to erase this style of comments for a while. It's still a bit of a problem, but I feel like I'm moving in the right direction. »
“Most of the time, when it leaves my hand, I feel it good”
The figures cited above demonstrate it: it is now very imprudent to leave space at 3-points for Anthony Edwards. “The guys have to respect my shot from now on”he rejoices, because “most of the time, when it leaves my hand, I feel it good”.
A sensation that Chris Hines is responsible for tempering, with humor. “The crazy thing, and it’s annoying for me, is that I know when it’s going to come in or not. From the bench, I know it as soon as it leaves his hands”he says while his foal is on a historic pace.
Indeed, even if it is still far away, if he keeps his average of 4.5 3-point shots scored per match, and plays all season, the Wolves guard will finish with 367 successes. The third mark in history over a season behind Stephen Curry (402 winning shots in 2016) and James Harden (378 in 2019).
| Anthony Edwards | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2020-21 | MIN | 72 | 32 | 41.7 | 32.9 | 77.6 | 0.8 | 3.8 | 4.7 | 2.9 | 1.8 | 1.1 | 2.2 | 0.5 | 19.3 |
| 2021-22 | MIN | 72 | 34 | 44.1 | 35.7 | 78.6 | 0.9 | 3.9 | 4.8 | 3.8 | 2.3 | 1.5 | 2.6 | 0.6 | 21.3 |
| 2022-23 | MIN | 79 | 36 | 45.9 | 36.9 | 75.6 | 0.6 | 5.2 | 5.8 | 4.4 | 2.4 | 1.6 | 3.3 | 0.7 | 24.6 |
| 2023-24 | MIN | 79 | 35 | 46.1 | 35.7 | 83.6 | 0.7 | 4.8 | 5.4 | 5.1 | 1.8 | 1.3 | 3.1 | 0.5 | 25.9 |
| 2024-25 | MIN | 23 | 36 | 45.3 | 42.7 | 81.2 | 0.6 | 4.8 | 5.4 | 4.0 | 2.0 | 1.4 | 3.1 | 0.6 | 26.4 |
| Total | 325 | 35 | 44.7 | 36.1 | 79.4 | 0.7 | 4.5 | 5.2 | 4.1 | 2.0 | 1.4 | 2.8 | 0.6 | 23.2 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
