Anthony Edwards takes swipe at Stephen A. Smith & Co. in bold Adidas campaign signaling new era of Timberwolves leadership

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards took a swipe at Stephen A. Smith and other reporters in his new ad campaign for Adidas. His second signature shoe, the “Anthony Edwards 2,” is set to release on Oct. 4.

Ahead of his shoe’s highly anticipated launch, Adidas shared an ad campaign on X on Sunday. The ad in question directly references all the criticism that reporters, including Stephen A., directed towards Edwards last season. The ad was posted with the caption:

“The noise was fuel all offseason. Now, it's time to shine.”

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Edwards replied to Adidas’ post on X with a three-word message:

“Still comin trim,” he wrote.

Edwards played 79 games for the Timberwolves last season, averaging 27.6 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists, shooting 44.7%, including 39.5% from 3-point range.

Despite his stellar production, he was subjected to much criticism from the media after the Timberwolves were knocked out of the playoffs in the conference finals. As can be seen from his new ad campaign with Adidas, the media’s words did not fall on deaf ears. Fans are now excited to see how Edwards’ game has evolved over the summer.

The Minnesota Timberwolves are seemingly banking on Anthony Edwards' development

The OKC Thunder faced next to no difficulties during their conference finals matchup against Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves. While fans believed this highlighted the gaps in Minnesota’s roster and expected changes, the team has been quiet this offseason.

Apart from re-signing players that were already on the roster, Johnny Juzang has been Minnesota’s only acquisition this offseason. While Juzang is a quality player, he is by no means enough to lift the Timberwolves past this hurdle.

So, a large part of how improved the team is next season will depend on what kind of jump Anthony Edwards has made over the summer. As the team’s No. 1 option, Edwards’ production will go a long way toward defining Minnesota’s season. This is a bold strategy from the team’s new owners, Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez, who took control in June.

Fans will get their first look at Edwards' development on Oct. 4 when the Timberwolves take on the Denver Nuggets.

About the author

Sameer is an esports and gaming journalist at Sportskeeda who covers a diverse range of topics. He is currently pursuing a BSc degree from BITS, but his love for video games pushed him to pursue a gaming journalism career. He relies on diligent research and fact-checking to deliver top-notch content. He has previously worked in the hospitality sector with the Oberoi Group.

Sameer’s gaming journey began with Rockstar Games’ GTA franchise, specifically
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. He strongly prefers multiplayer games, with FPS being his favorite genre, and has devoted 6K+ hours to CS:GO! However, he also dabbles in open-world, story-based games from time to time. Solo RPGs like Horizon Forbidden West hold a soft spot in his heart, and he would readily drop in it given a Jumanji-type scenario.

Sameer makes sure to follow Counter-Strike and Valorant esports tournaments, as he believes that watching a game being played at the highest level can be highly educational. He derives inspiration from Tarik's meteoric rise to become one of the biggest FPS streamers in the world following the release of Valorant.

Outside of work, you can find Sameer playing football or cheering for FC Barcelona. He also likes to read and write poetry.

Know More

Timberwolves Nation! You can check out the latest Minnesota Timberwolves Schedule and dive into the Timberwolves Depth Chart for NBA Season 2024-25.

Edited by Sameer Khan