Anthony Edwards is Among Jeremiah Fears' Most Anticipated NBA Opponents
Anthony Edwards is Among Jeremiah Fears' Most Anticipated NBA Opponents originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The 2025 NBA Draft will bring a new class of rookies to the league, eager to prove themselves amongst the pros. Several years ago, the Minnesota Timberwolves landed the first overall pick in the draft, bringing Anthony Edwards to the team.
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That pick has paid off rather well for the team, as Edwards is among the league's best, and Minnesota has been on the cusp of the NBA Finals in the past two seasons. Based on many projections, Edwards will only continue to get better and better in his career.
He's now familiarized himself with the league and talented opponents, including fellow All-Stars LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant. Most of this year's incoming rookies already have specific players in mind they're most looking forward to playing against.
Ahead of Wednesday night's opening round, many of the draft prospects appeared in the NBA's live YouTube video, On The Clock with the 2025 Draft Class. Hosts Ryan Hammer and Krysten Peek asked them each questions, including who their games compare to and who they can't wait to battle on the court.
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5).David Gonzales-Imagn Images
For many, the same superstar's name kept popping up as the opponent they couldn't wait to play: LeBron James. More than a few of the 2025 NBA Draft prospects indicated he's the greatest of all-time, and it's unclear how much longer he'll be in the league.
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A few of the other popular answers included Giannis Antetokounmpo and Luka Doncic. However, Oklahoma guard Jeremiah Fears immediately said Anthony Edwards and Steph Curry as his choices.
'Just because [of] Ant-Man's mentality. Fierce competitor, not scared of nobody, and he gonna come at you, so you wanna play against somebody like that every single night and it's gonna help you bring your A-game as well,' Fears said on why he chose Edwards.
The 6-foot-4 Sooners star averaged 17.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game as a freshman. Fears helped lead his squad to the NCAA Tournament, where he tallied 20 points, five boards, and four assists in a loss to the UConn Huskies.
He finds out on Wednesday night, which team he'll suit up for next season. Most mock drafts have him going in the top 10, with some projecting him at No. 7 to the New Orleans Pelicans or No. 8 to the Brooklyn Nets.
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ESPN praised Fears ahead of the NBA Draft, due to his 'combination of size, speed, pace, shotmaking, and shot creation,' suggesting he has 'significant long-term upside" for a team.
As of this writing, he's projected to go No. 5 in ESPN's mock draft to the Utah Jazz. While they're not nearly a contender, yet, it would give Fears multiple opportunities each season to face the Minnesota Timberwolves and Edwards.
Related: NBA Mock Draft Suggests Timberwolves Pick Rudy Gobert's Replacement
Related: NBA Mock Draft Predicts Timberwolves Will Pick UConn's Liam McNeeley
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 25, 2025, where it first appeared.
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Phoenix Suns (from Cleveland via Utah) 30. L.A. Clippers (from Oklahoma City) SECOND ROUND: 31. Minnesota Timberwolves (via Utah) 32. Boston Celtics (via Washington) 33. Charlotte Hornets 34. Charlotte Hornets (via New Orleans) 35. Philadelphia 76ers 36. Brooklyn Nets 37. Detroit Pistons (via Toronto) 38. San Antonio Spurs 39. Toronto Raptors (via Portland) 40. Washington Wizards (via Phoenix) 41. Golden State Warriors (via Miami) 42. Sacramento Kings (via Chicago) 43. Utah Jazz (via Dallas) 44. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Atlanta) 45. Chicago Bulls (via Sacramento) 46. Orlando Magic 47. Milwaukee Bucks (via Detroit) 48. Memphis Grizzlies (via Golden State) 49. Cleveland Cavaliers (via Milwaukee) 50. New York Knicks (via Memphis) 51. Los Angeles Clippers (via Minnesota) 52. Phoenix Suns (via Denver) 53. Utah Jazz (via Los Angeles Clippers) 54. Indiana Pacers 55. Los Angeles Lakers 56. Memphis Grizzlies (via Houston) 57. Orlando Magic (via Boston) 58. Cleveland Cavaliers 59. 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Cooper Flagg was the nation's No. 1 recruit at 17, now he's expected to be the No. 1 draft pick Cooper Flagg arrived at Duke as the nation's No. 1 recruit at 17 years old. Less than a year later, the Maine native is set to be the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft in a big week for the Blue Devils program. The first round of the draft starts Wednesday, with the second round coming Thursday. Flagg led the Blue Devils to their first Final Four under Jon Scheyer, the successor to retired Hall of Famer Mike Krzyzewski. He also became only the fourth freshman named Associated Press men's national player of the year. Duke will also have two other one-and-done lottery prospects in forward Kon Knueppel and big man Khaman Maluach. Throw in second-round prospects Tyrese Proctor and Sion James, and Duke could have all five starters drafted this week. ___ AP NBA: recommended
