Anthony Edwards Turned 24, and the Wolves Have Never Felt More Grown Up
Yesterday, Anthony Edwards turned 24 years old. Twenty-four! That’s the same age Dwyane Wade was when he won his first title. It’s when Jordan took the “I’m not just a highlight reel” leap. It’s also the same age I was when I thought eating pizza rolls and watching The OC was a productive Saturday night.
The difference? Edwards is already the face of a franchise, the soul of a city, and the guy who ended two decades of Timberwolves postseason irrelevance like it was a throwaway side quest in God of War.
And yet, because of some minor internet chaos (shoutout to SB Nation for pulling off the platform migration), we’re a day late in celebrating the occasion.
So this is our belated birthday tribute to Ant-Man. And to honor the now-24-year-old dynamo, I’ve compiled five of Employee No. 5’s most electric moments from the 2024–25 season.
Let’s go in chronological order, because that’s what Ant would want. (Actually, he probably wouldn’t care. He’d just dunk on you for asking.)
1. December 27, 2024 – The Comeback Three in Houston
Coming off the high of a revenge-soaked Christmas Day win over Luka and the Mavericks, the same team that ousted the Wolves in the WCF seven months earlier, this had all the makings of a letdown game. Holiday hangover, trap setting, whatever cliché you want. The Wolves trailed by 16 with under five minutes to play.
Then the comeback started. And you know who was at the heart of it.
Edwards drilled the go-ahead three with 23 seconds left, capping a 23–6 run and sealing a one-point win. Final score: 113–112. It wasn’t just a win. It was a moment of swagger, of resilience, and of Ant doing Ant things—taking over the game, the moment, and the vibe.
2. January 9, 2025 – The Dunk of the Year in Orlando
I know, I know. Everyone has their favorite Edwards dunk. He’s got a catalog at this point. But for 2024-25 this was the one.
After back-to-back duds against the Celtics and Pistons to start the year, the Wolves went on a 3-game tear which ended with them flattening the Magic. In the third quarter, Ant caught a pass from Naz Reid, loaded up like he was doing a Mortal Kombat finisher, and obliterated Anthony Black at the rim.
3. February 24, 2025 – The Block Heard ‘Round the West
Wolves and Thunder. Third meeting in four games. It felt like the Western Conference Finals before the Western Conference Finals.
The Thunder built a 25-point lead. The Wolves looked cooked. Edwards was on the bench, probably wondering why no one could stop the bleeding.
Then: Terrence Shannon Jr. woke the team up and Minnesota went on a tear. Edwards checked back in, and the game turned into chaos. With the Wolves clinging to life in the final seconds, SGA had the ball, a lane, and an all-but-guaranteed win.
Until Ant chased him down and swatted it. Like a Marvel villain flicking away a sidekick. It was the defining stop of the season, and in retrospect, a preview of what was coming in May.
4. April 5, 2025 – The “How Did He Hit That?” Game vs. Philly
The Wolves were in the standings blender, trying to dodge the play-in like it was a tax audit. They were up double digits on Philly, then… naturally, coughed it up.
It looked like another chapter in the classic Wolves script: “Dominant First Half, Meltdown by Midnight.”
But Edwards wasn’t having it.
With seconds left, the shot clock dwindling, and the Wolves up just two, he nailed a step-back three from somewhere near the Delaware River. It was the kind of shot that had zero business going in—off-balance, tightly contested, fading away.
Wolves win. They’d eventually grab the 6-seed by a thread, but without that win? We might be talking about a play-in disaster instead of a second straight trip to the Conference Finals.
5. April 25, 2025 – The Luka Strip & Slam in Game 3
We all know the final result: Wolves in five. LeBron and Luka in shambles. The national media scrambling to find a new “real contender”.
But Game 3? That was the turning point. The Wolves and Lakers were tied 1–1. Minnesota was trailing at halftime. Luka was heating up.
Then came the play: Ant stole the ball from Doncic under the rim, reset, and then and exploded for a dunk over Doncic that took the roof off of Target Center.
It was a critical play that set the tone for the rest of the game, the series, and arguably the Wolves’ entire postseason. Minnesota never lost again that round.
Honorable Mention: “Ant-Man, Batman, Superman” at Crypto.com
This one didn’t happen on the court. But it might be the most unforgettable.
After the Wolves clinched Game 5 in L.A., I had the surreal experience of being in the bowels of Crypto.com Arena, and hearing the roars coming from Minnesota’s locker room.
The chant echoing down the hall?
“ANT-MAN! BATMAN! SUPERMAN!”
It was pure joy. Catharsis. Swagger. After two decades of Lakers domination, of heartbreak and humiliation, the Wolves had finally slayed the dragon. Ant was leading the victory chorus, and for the first time in forever, it felt like Minnesota was the team.
There are moments when a franchise shifts. Not just on the court, but in culture, identity, belief. Anthony Edwards has done that for the Timberwolves. At 24, he’s already the most magnetic player the franchise has had since KG, and more importantly, he’s lifting the Wolves into a whole new tier.
We’ve gone from the league wondering if he was the right pick over LaMelo to wondering if he’s the guy who brings Minnesota its first title.
He’s not a prospect anymore. He’s not a curiosity. He’s a superstar, and he’s just getting started.
So happy belated birthday, Ant. Thanks for making this franchise relevant, thrilling, and, dare we say it, cool again.
Now go make 24 the year you take the league.