© Stephen Lew | 2020 Mar 7
In previous drafts, there would be a general consensus on who the Warriors are going to select with the No. 2 overall pick. In the upcoming draft, it’s anybody’s guess.
It seems as if the Warriors have been both linked to and reportedly out on all the players considered to be at the top of NBA Draft boards, namely James Wiseman, Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball.
Edwards, who is the only of the three to play a full college season last year, is the subject of the latest report, one that is interesting due to its specific nature. Namely, that the Warriors aren’t interested in selecting him due to character issues.
“Teams are worried about Edwards’ drive and enthusiasm for winning, and according to a source, the Golden State Warriors aren’t a likely landing spot due to these concerns,” Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman writes. “Scouts and executives have mentioned that his teams haven’t won at any level, and that he even forgets plays and actions.”
“The more we ask around about Edwards, the more we hear concern about his professionalism and ability to impact winning, even if his scoring production carries over.”
Edwards’ counting stats during his only season at Georgia were extremely impressive — 19.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.3 steals — but the Bulldogs’ season was a huge disappointment, the team finishing second to last with a 5-13 conference record in the SEC.
Of course this report runs counter to Conner Letourneau’s report in the San Francisco Chronicle that the Warriors believe Edwards “is one of the few players available in this draft who can contribute immediately and develop into a face of the franchise within the next few seasons.”
The conflicting reports probably mean that the Warriors are just that, conflicted, when it comes to Edwards. In a draft with almost no consensus, and very few players with a track record of consistent excellence at the NCAA level, the Warriors probably feel the same way about nearly everyone on their draft board.