Turns out we might owe Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr a debt of gratitude for giving us the version of Anthony Edwards we know and love.
Ahead of Game 1 of the Warriors-Minnesota Timberwolves conference semifinals series, social media has unearthed a 2023 clip of Edwards telling a very interesting story about Kerr—one that (1) predates the 2020 draft, when Edwards entered the league, and (2) shows perhaps a more blunt, right-to-the-point side of Kerr than casual observers are used to.
"Before [Kerr] came, I thought I was working hard," Ant said in the clip, setting the scene for the story, which starts during a predraft workout for the Warriors. "And when he came, I was going through the drills, and he kept stopping them, like, 'That's all you got? That's all you got?' And I'm like, 'Bruh, I'm going hard as you want me to go. What you want me to do?' I'm sweating crazy. He's like, 'Man, you gotta see [Steph Curry] and [Kevin Durant] and Klay [Thompson] work out.'
"We went to dinner that night and they still was continuously telling me, 'You didn't work hard enough. If we had the No. 1 pick, we wouldn't take you.' And I was just like, 'Damn, that's crazy.' So me and my trainer were riding home after dinner and we were just talking, like, 'Bro, we got to pick it up. I don't know how, I don't know what we gotta do. But we gotta pick it up.' And after that, man, I became a madman in the gym. I try to work 'til I'm tired, I'm exhausted."
“If we had the first pick, we wouldn’t take you”
— Underdog (@Underdog) May 6, 2025
Steve Kerr to Anthony Edwards in the 2020 draft process 😳
Ant gets a whole series to prove him wrong, starting tonight 🔥 pic.twitter.com/KK0l7lo4vr
As for whether Kerr is aware of the impact he had on a young Ant, "Oh, he knows," Edwards made clear in the clip. "He's gonna see this and laugh cause he already knows. Him, Bob Myers, and it was another guy with them. But they all played a huge role in where I am today because they pitched that to me early."
Funnily enough, Kerr was asked about this exact story during a call with reporters on Monday afternoon, during which he said he "didn't think much" of the comments at the time but it's "pretty cool" that Ant said all that after the fact.
"I think it shows that he's a young guy who wants to learn, wants to be great," the coach added.
Watch his full remarks starting at 3:57:
In the end, Edwards clearly wasn't destined to be a Warrior, seeing as the T-Wolves picked him before the Dubs could. But it's much better this way. Indeed, now we'll get to have the Draymond Green vs. Edwards playoff game Ant has always wanted.
Tip-off for Game 1 is scheduled for Tuesday at 9:30 p.m. ET.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Steve Kerr's Blunt Pre-Draft Quote to Anthony Edwards Resurfaces Ahead of Playoff Clash.
