Steve Kerr and young star Steve Kerr Edwards are collaborating for Team USA in the 2024 Olympic Games. Naturally, their complex past has resurfaced, leaving fans stunned by what Kerr once told Edwards during a pre-draft workout years ago.
“Kerr had his doubts about the guard from Georgia who posted impressive scoring numbers that didn’t always lead to team success. ‘The first impression was it was hard to tell whether he was going to be good or not because he was just so raw,’ Kerr said via The Ringer. ‘He was so young, and he was full of energy, which we loved, but we just worried about: Was he going to be a worker? Because he didn’t know anything.’
The workout did little to change Kerr’s opinion. Kerr stopped the session after an hour and criticized the guard. ‘He was like, ‘Imagine everybody walking through the door has $50 million,’’ Holland recalls Kerr saying. ‘Because the way you’re working out, you’re not the type of guy to give $50 million to.’”
The Warriors had the 2nd pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, considering three players: LaMelo Ball, James Wiseman, and Anthony Edwards. The Timberwolves took Edwards with the first overall pick, so the Warriors were left to choose between Ball and Wiseman.
Whatever Kerr saw in Edwards that night was enough to make him abandon his draft pursuit. For Kerr, the key to success for any young star was humility and hard work, which he didn’t see in Edwards at the time. Instead, he saw a talented kid with an over-inflated ego.
Ultimately, the Warriors chose James Wiseman, hoping to find a quality big man who could secure a permanent spot in the rotation. As we know, that assessment was terribly wrong.
Unfortunately, the Wiseman era in Golden State was short-lived after he failed to make a significant impact in three years with the team. Through 60 games, Wiseman averaged 9.9 points and 5.0 rebounds per game on 54% shooting. He was traded to the Pistons in the 2022-23 season.
Meanwhile, Anthony Edwards has emerged as one of the best young players in the league. He’s the star and face of the Timberwolves, averaging 25.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game on 46.1% shooting.
It’s fair to say that Kerr and the Warriors made a huge mistake by not drafting Edwards when they had the chance. He could have elevated their team to another level and extended their dynasty for at least a decade more.
Instead, Kerr now has to coach Edwards for Team USA, where Edwards has clearly impressed his coaches and teammates. It seems to empower Edwards to prove the doubters wrong, and now that he’s on the world stage, he’s surpassing every expectation.
After leading the Timberwolves to the Conference Finals this May, Anthony Edwards plans to build on his success and prove that he’s ready to be one of the best in the world. By the end, he’ll be making Kerr and the Warriors regret not drafting him.
