Anthony Edwards joins five other Timberwolves on the CBS Sports Top 100 NBA Players rankings. But is Ant’s #10 ranking an insult?
CBS Sports just dropped their Top 100 NBA player rankings for the 2024-25 season, and Timberwolves fans can breathe easy knowing our boys are getting some respect. Six Wolves made the cut, tying the Knicks, Pelicans, and Thunder for the most players on the list. Not bad for a franchise that’s spent the better part of the last two decades flying under the radar.
Let’s break it down.
Mike Conley Jr. clocked in at number 85, a minor bump up from last year’s 91. Honestly, Conley might be the most under-appreciated veteran in the league. He’s not flashy, but he’s the glue that holds this team together. Sure, he’s getting older, but when you’re the steady hand guiding a team to the Western Conference Finals, you deserve a little love in the rankings.
Naz Reid made his debut on the list at number 75, and it’s about time! The reigning “Sixth Man of the Year” has been a revelation for the Wolves. Reed’s energy and scoring ability off the bench has been a game-changer, and every tattooed Wolves fan knows this guy has earned every bit of that ranking. His leap onto the list is just another sign that the Wolves are deeper than most people think.
Then we’ve got Jaden McDaniels, who jumped from 83 to 62. McDaniels has established himself as a defensive nightmare, and he’s only getting better. If you’re not circling his name as one of the Wolves’ most critical pieces moving forward, you’re not paying attention.
Rudy Gobert also moved up the list, going from 55 to 39. Look, Gobert’s been the target of a lot of slander—nearly all of it, undeserved. He’s clearly one of the best defensive players in the league, and his presence in the paint has transformed the Wolves on that end of the flood. The fact that he’s ranked 39 shows that people are starting to remember why he’s a four-time Defensive Player of the Year.
Karl-Anthony Towns sits at number 38, just one spot down from last year’s ranking. Even though Towns’s game showed maturity last season and he found a way to fit within the flow of the team’s offense, it’s difficult to get too worked up about a single spot backslide. I chalk it up to the league getting more talented overall, than a indictment on KAT’s abilities.
And finally, Anthony Edwards round out things for Minnesota at number ten, a 12-spot leap from last year’s number 22 ranking. This is where it gets interesting… Sure, top 10 is elite company, but if you’re a Wolves fan, you probably feel like Edwards should be even higher.
Here’s a breakdown of the Top 10:
- Nikola Jokic
- Giannis Antetokounmpo
- Luka Doncic
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
- Joel Embiid
- Steph Curry
- Jayson Tatum
- LeBron James
- Kevin Durant
- Anthony Edwards
First off, no arguments with Jokic, Giannis, and Luka in the top three. Those guys are bona fide superstars. But once you hit the 4-9 range, things get a little murky.
Where I really take issue is with Joel Embiid at number five. Look, Embiid is a monster when he’s healthy, but that’s kind of the problem, isn’t it? He doesn’t play enough games to justify this high of a ranking. He averaged 34.7 points per game, sure, but he didn’t even play in half the Sixers’ games. Give me 79 games of Anthony Edwards over 39 of Joel Embiid any day of the week.
The LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Steph Curry group at 6-9 is where I feel Edwards was arguably slighted. Don’t get me wrong—those are three of the best players to ever touch a basketball, and their resumes speak for themselves. But if we’re talking about right now, is Edwards really behind? LeBron is heading into his 22nd season and is on a minutes restriction, Durant is a constant injury risk, and Curry’s definitely lost a bit on his fastball despite his Olympic heroics.
Meanwhile, Edwards led his team to the Western Conference Finals, completely owning Kevin Durant’s Suns in the first round. His postseason performance alone should’ve bumped him up a few spots, as the LeBron, KD, and Curry trio combined for one playoff win.
And let’s not forget the big picture here—Anthony Edwards is only 22 years old. He’s just scratching the surface of what he can do. The leap he made last season was incredible, and anyone paying attention knows he’s got another gear he hasn’t even hit yet. He’s a budding superstar who’s already a top-10 player in the league, and we’re not talking about a guy who’s peaked. This is a player who’s about to take over the league in the next couple of years.
Jayson Tatum at number seven? I can live with it. Tatum’s Celtics did win the title, and his numbers are similar to Edwards’. The gap there isn’t massive, and with Tatum having the championship hardware, I get it. But mark my words—by the end of this upcoming season, Edwards will be right there with him, if not ahead.
I’m not here to disrespect Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Statistically, sure, Shai’s got an edge—he put up over 30.1 points per game last season compared to Edwards’ 25.9. But let’s not ignore the fact that SGA got to the free-throw line almost 150 more times than Ant. That’s not necessarily a knock on Shai, but it’s clear Edwards isn’t getting the superstar calls yet. When Ant starts getting those whistles, that points-per-game gap is going to shrink real fast.
In the end, I’m not losing sleep over Edwards being ranked number 10. It’s a huge accomplishment, and it’s only the beginning. But if you’re telling me that Edwards doesn’t have a legitimate case to be ranked even higher, you’re not paying attention. He’s coming for the throne, and it’s only a matter of time before Jokic, Giannis, and Luka start looking over their shoulders.
This season is going to be Anthony Edwards’ coming-out party on a national scale. He’s already proven his worth to Team USA, he’s got a Netflix docuseries, and he’s leading a Wolves team that’s ready to make real noise. So enjoy the ride, Wolves fans, because by the time the 2025 rankings come out, top 10 might feel like an insult.