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Maui Wowie! Georgia’s Anthony Edwards puts on a show vs. Michigan State

By Brandon Jefferson

LAHAINA, HI - NOVEMBER 26: Malik Hall #25 of the Michigan State Spartans gets a hand in the face of Anthony Edwards #5 of the Georgia Bulldogs as he shoots the ball during the second half at the Lahaina Civic Center on November 26, 2019 in Lahaina, Hawaii. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images)
LAHAINA, HI - NOVEMBER 26: Malik Hall #25 of the Michigan State Spartans gets a hand in the face of Anthony Edwards #5 of the Georgia Bulldogs as he shoots the ball during the second half at the Lahaina Civic Center on November 26, 2019 in Lahaina, Hawaii. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images) /
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The Georgia Bulldogs lost their second straight game at the Maui Jim Maui Invitational but freshman guard Anthony Edwards has become must-see television for all basketball fans.

When Tom Crean left the comforts of the television studio to return to the sideline most couldn’t understand why he chose Georgia to be the place he would coach at. Clearly a football school, the Bulldogs hadn’t landed a five-star recruit since hometown hero, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope opted to remain in-state and go to school in Athens back in 2011.

His first year didn’t exactly quiet any doubters and Crean himself was often vocally critical of the players on his own roster. Yet, one move changed everything, when consensus top-three recruit and Georgia-bred guard, Anthony Edwards committed to play — what will likely be one season — for the Bulldogs.

Originally a member of the 2020 high school graduating class, Edwards reclassified into 2019 and entered the NCAA as one of the youngest freshmen in the country. However, what he lacks in age he more than makes up for in talent.

The 6-foot-5 combo guard is the closest thing college basketball has to a James Harden or Luka Doncic. Edwards operates as the de facto point guard for Crean. He’s not looking to just get his shot but will make plays for others and once he’s in the groove, some of the passes he can make and the reads he is able to see are truly special. He had a few during Georgia’s second-half comeback against the Michigan State Spartans today.

In said game, the Bulldogs were down by 21 points at halftime as the Spartans looked to erase the humiliation of their opening-round loss to unranked Virginia Tech yesterday. For Crean, it looked like a repeat of what happened in their first game in Hawaii against Dayton, which they ultimately lost by 19 points.

After going 2-10 and scoring just six points a day earlier, Edwards had just four points going into the half. Then the second half happened.

Nobody in green and white could do anything to slow the freshman down. Whatever Edwards wanted to do, he did. Step-back 3-pointers, 30-foot 3-pointers, pull-up jumpers in transition, mid-post fadeaways, off-the-dribble jump shots, halfcourt bounce pass assists, defending the rim, he did all of that and more en route to scoring 33 points in the final 20 minutes of action.

Even Bill Walton (calling the game for ESPN) couldn’t heap enough praise on the performance that the Atlanta native put forth.

Through six games, he’s averaging 16.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game while playing a staggering 38 minutes a night. Crean knows where his bread gets buttered and to begin the year, Edwards has answered the bell more times than not.

The freshman has become must-see television for NCAA and NBA fans alike. His time in Athens won’t last much longer as he will be a lottery pick this upcoming summer. However, with LaMelo Ball in Australia and James Wiseman benched for a month and some change, all eyes should be on Edwards and he has a shot to catapult himself into contention for the number one pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.

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