Anthony Edwards comes from Atlanta, Georgia.

When he was just three years old, Dad started calling him Ant Man, and it really started to stick.

But he wasn't always destined to become a basketball player because Pop Warner Pee wee leagues for the Atlanta Vikings.

He was running rough, shot away from people.

How in the world in Kirby Smart.

Let him go play basketball.

Look at that big fella.

Get into the end zone.

But he starred in the basketball court In high school.

He became Georgia's biggest recruit since Dominique Wilkins, the human highlight film in this past season for Tom Crean's Bulldogs.

He lead all division one freshman in scoring.

It was the SEC freshman of the year.

The vertical leap is over 40.

He is a huge and explosive talent.

Anthony Edwards fondly recalls those days growing up in Atlanta and the impact that both his mother and his grandmother had on him, whether it was taking him to steak and shake or his mom rewarding him for good games with Snickers and Skittles.

Those memories are things that he will cherish forever.

My mom was smiling, always happy nobody could ever make her man.

She always worked hard for our kids.

My grandma kept everything together when we didn't have a place to stay.

She let us come stay with her.

E knew my mom and my grandma had canceled.

My mom was in a lot of paying a lot of times, but she won't show it.

She would just go to the hospital and just sit there for a couple of days on.

My grandmother had been battling it for like, 4 to 5 years.

When my mom passed, I was 14 years old and then probably like a couple months like right after that.

My grandma that she passes already.

So it was terrible for our whole family.

Everything I do.

I wish they was here to see it.

But my angels, my mom and my grandmother keep me uplifted.

They wake me up every day with a smile on my face.

I just keep going for them.

What a powerful story.

And Anthony, with those two women that are behind you, literally and figuratively in mind with their legacies in mind, you've said that being the number one pick would be exceptionally cool.

Here we are.

How does it feel?

I mean, it's undescribable feeling.

I mean, I can't even describe it.

My family is emotional.

I feel like when I get off here, I'm gonna get emotional.

And I'm just blessed beyond measures to be in this situation.

Hmm.

And you said that your mother and grandmother have built you to be who you are, and you wouldn't be who you are today without them.

How are you honoring their legacy today?

Um, as you can see, my grandmother's my grandmother's right here.

And my mother is right here.

And the shirt that, uh, with the collaboration I had, I got my grandmother's name and my mother's name on my shirt.

So it with me at all times?

Absolutely.

This is a really special day for your family.

Were wishing you all the best.

Congratulations.

I know this looks different, but happy number one pick Reese back to you.

I'm Waka Anthony.

Thank you very much.

And you mentioned it.

Just elite athleticism.

Well, he's very gifted with natural ability, his body balance, his power, his strength, his ability to attack the basket when he decides to go to the Rim.

Nobody is going to get in his way.

He's gonna go through.

Somebody are over him.

The problem is he didn't go to the Rimas Muchas he should have.

He didn't shoot as many free throws, but a three level score, meaning he's got really deep range from three.

He can put the ball on the deck and get to the rim, and he's got a good middle game.

He could pull up.

He's got a good step back move offensively.

He can really score.

He just wasn't as efficient because he settled for a lot of three point shots.

A number of them contested.

Uh, he's got the ability to be an outstanding defender.

He's got a 69 wingspan and with that crazy athleticism, his ability to get off the floor, hey could really get down in the stance and guard when he wants to.

The question is, does he want to?

All the time.

He hasn't been a concentrated defender and sustained it over time, but he's got all the tools, the work ethic.

His coach, Tom Crean, has said he's never had a player like Edwards, and he's had Victor Oladipo and Dwyane Wade.

Uh just really a fantastic talent.

The question is, is how serious is it going to be about being great?

That's really the question about him, because he's got all the tools to be great.

J were at that game and Maui against Michigan State.

I mean, he looked like an N b A All Star 33 points in the second half, 37 points on the game.

And every move he makes is an MBA caliber move.

Step backs.

His footwork is ridiculous, and he moves a little bit like James Harden.

Just in terms of the size, the physicality, the shiftiness.

I think you can have a Donovan Mitchell type of impact in the MBA.

A guy you can give the ball and say, Hey, go get us a bucket, go place and pick and roll Go make something happen Now he needs to buy in defensively.

He needs to take better shots.

But the talent is certainly there.

I mean, the talent, there's no doubt the talent is there.

Hey, goes into the West, which is one of the most challenging conferences to play in.

But ultimately I like the young core of this team.

I guess The next question for them moving forward is who are the veteran presence is that you're keeping around them to make sure that this team continues to grow in the right direction.

I think that's important.

We have guys like cat D'Angelo Russell Now Anthony Edwards.

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