Basketball isn't just a game. It's an art form, too, replete with all the colors and textures one would expect to see in a gallery. And among the game's greatest creatives, few are as gifted as Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards.
Edwards is a youngster compared to many of the players who share the floor with him. But blessed with size, skill and high-end athleticism, once Edwards gets going, he's hard to stop.
The 6-4 guard is perhaps the biggest reason — in addition to impressive roster construction — why Minnesota is on the brink of the NBA Finals.
Fresh-faced and ready to impress, Edwards is one the NBA's up-and-coming talents in the 2024 season. But just how old is he? The Sporting News takes a look at Edwards' age, as well as how his performance in this year's postseason run compares to that of other basketball icons at the same age.
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How old is Anthony Edwards?
Anthony Edwards is 22 years old. With a birthday of Aug. 5, 2001, Edwards will turn 23 following the 2023-24 postseason.
Among Timberwolves players, Edwards is on the younger side: Just five players on the roster are younger than Edwards. All five play sparingly compared to Edwards, who averaged 35 minutes per game during the regular season.
Edwards isn't new to the rigors of NBA basketball. He's in his fourth year in the league, having made his debut as a teenager back in 2020. Nevertheless, his age does put him in rarefied air: He's one of just two players aged 22 years old or younger in the top 20 in scoring so far this postseason (alongside Paolo Banchero of the Orlando Magic).
All of that is to say, Edwards' production at this young age isn't normal. And it has a great many looking towards stars of the past as they gauge just how good Edwards is at this point in his short career.
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Anthony Edwards career stats
Edwards strung together an impressive fourth season in the pros, finishing seventh in MVP voting after averaging 25.9 points, 5.4 assists and 5.1 rebounds on 46.1/35.7/83.6 shooting splits. As far as age-22 seasons go, Edwards' was pretty close to faultless.
That level of performance has continued throughout this year's postseason. And it's reflected in Edwards' numbers when the lights have been at their brightest. Through the first two rounds of the postseason, Edwards is averaging 28.9 points, 6.2 rebounds and 5.9 assists on 50.4/39.8/84.3 shooting splits.
| Games | PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3FG% |
| 11 | 28.9 | 6.2 | 5.9 | 50.4 | 84.3 |
Here's a look at how Edwards' numbers compare to NBA legends past and present — including LeBron James, Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant —in their age-22 postseason runs.
| Player | PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3FG% |
| Michael Jordan | 29.3 | 5.8 | 8.5 | 43.6 | 12.5 |
| Kobe Bryant | 29.4 | 7.3 | 6.1 | 46.9 | 32.4 |
| LeBron James | 30.8 | 8.1 | 5.8 | 47.6 | 33.3 |
| Kevin Durant | 28.6 | 8.2 | 2.8 | 44.9 | 33.9 |
| Dwyane Wade | 18.0 | 4.0 | 5.6 | 45.5 | 37.5 |
