Edwards agrees to five-year rookie max extension with Timberwolves

The Minnesota Timberwolves had faith that Anthony Edwards would be the cornerstone of the franchise when they selected him first overall in the 2020 draft.

He's proven he was worth the pick and has been rewarded, agreeing to a five-year, $207million rookie max extension with the Timberwolves on Monday.

The deal could be worth $260million if he makes an All-NBA team during the 2023-24 season.

Edwards made his first All-Star team this past season, as he led the Timberwolves in scoring with a career-best 24.6 points per game, while also averaging 5.8 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.6 steals.

At 21 years old, he became the youngest player to average those numbers in a season since LeBron James in 2005-06.

He has helped guide the Timberwolves to back-to-back playoff appearances for the first time since 2004, and stepped up his scoring game in this season's first-round loss to the eventual champion Denver Nuggets.

Edwards averaged 31.6 points against the Nuggets and scored a Timberwolves franchise playoff-record 41 points in Game 2.

He drained six 3-pointers in that game and averaged 2.7 made 3s during the regular season while shooting 36.9 per cent from beyond the arc.

As one of the league's brightest young stars, Edwards emerged as Minnesota's most dangerous scoring threat with two-time All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns missing 52 games this past season with a calf strain.

The durable Edwards has missed just seven games due to injury in his first three seasons.

In 223 career games, he is averaging 21.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.4 steals and 2.7 made 3s.