Anthony Edwards scores a career-high 42 points agains the Phoenix Suns.
Minnesota has seen 11 top-five Draft picks suit up for the franchise during its 32-year history.
None of them — or any other Timberwolves rookie for that matter — scored as many points in his rookie season as Anthony Edwards did on Thursday night.
The No. 1 overall pick of the 2020 Draft poured in a career-high 42 points in Minnesota’s stunning 123-119 win over the Phoenix Suns. The performance bests previous Timberwolves rookie nights by Zach LaVine (37), Karl-Anthony Towns (35), and Christian Laettner (35), and also surpasses Philadelphia’s Tyrese Maxey for most points scored by a first-year player this season.
At 19 years and 226 days old, Edwards becomes the third-youngest player in NBA history to score 40 or more in a game, trailing only LeBron James and Kevin Durant.
Youngest players to score 40 or more
| PLAYER | AGE | DATE |
| LeBron James | 19 years, 88 days | March 27, 2004 |
| Kevin Durant | 19 years, 200 days | April 16, 2008 |
| Anthony Edwards | 19 years, 225 days | March 18, 2021 |
| Carmelo Anthony | 19 years, 306 days | March 30, 2004 |
Edwards got to the rim at will against a Suns team boasting the fourth-best defensive rating in the league. The Atlanta, Georgia, product shot 11-for-18 inside the arc and earned a game-high 13 free throw attempts. His driving layup with 2:36 remaining, the shot that put him past the 40-point mark, put Minnesota ahead for good.
Edwards has been unleashed since Timberwolves coach Chris Finch replaced Ryan Saunders on Feb. 22. In the 10 games since, the 6-foot-4 guard is averaging 24.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.3 steals while shooting a markedly improved 41.9% from the field.
“I put in the work,” Edwards said after Thursday’s game. “I work in the dark. It should come to the light.”
“He’s blooming for us at the right time,” Finch added.
Anthony Edwards is now the 3rd No. 1 overall pick in the last 20 seasons to score 40+ points in a game as a rookie, joining Blake Griffin (twice) and LeBron James. pic.twitter.com/Buz9g2hTih
— NBA History (@NBAHistory) March 19, 2021
Edwards wasn’t the only former No. 1 pick to go off for the Timberwolves against Phoenix. Towns also dominated the Suns’ normally stingy defense for 41 points of his own, an encouraging season-high after the 25-year-old big man had battled injuries and COVID-19 earlier this season.
Towns and Edwards become just the seventh pair of teammates to each score 40 or more in the same game over the last 20 seasons, and the first since Kawhi Leonard and Paul George did so on Dec. 13, 2019.
Teammates to score 40 or more in same game
| DATE | TEAM | PLAYERS |
| March 18, 2021 | Minnesota Timberwolves | Anthony Edwards (42), Karl-Anthony Towns (41) |
| Dec. 13, 2019 | LA Clippers | Paul George (46), Kawhi Leonard (42) |
| Feb. 22, 2019 | Oklahoma City Thunder | Paul George (45), Russell Westbrook (43) |
| April 9, 2017 | Minnesota Timberwolves | Andrew Wiggins (41), Karl-Anthony Towns (40) |
| Oct. 30, 2015 | Oklahoma City Thunder | Russell Westbrook (48), Kevin Durant (43) |
| March 23, 2012 | Oklahoma City Thunder | Russell Westbrook (45), Kevin Durant (40) |
| Feb. 19, 2012 | Oklahoma City Thunder | Kevin Durant (51), Russell Westbrook (40) |