“I’ve been blown away, so I’m excited to be here” said Julius Randle, when discussing how he felt having Minnesota as his home now. Part of one of the top trades during the recent off-season, Julius Randle’s shift from the New York Knicks to the Minnesota Timberwolves raised some doubts on how well he would adjust. The player certainly passed the test when it came to living in the new city. However, playing under the leadership of 23-year-old Anthony Edwards was going to be a different adjustment. For both him, and Edwards. Fortunately, the latter’s time with Team USA had trained him in a crucial aspect of basketball. This, in turn, only helped to improve his professional bond with Julius Randle later on.

In the aftermath of the Timberwolves’ 107-90 win against the Golden State Warriors, Anthony Edwards was interviewed by SportsNet reporter Nicole Briscoe. Amidst the discussion, Briscoe touched base on Julius Randle. Referring to him as the ‘new guy on the team’ (with literal air quotes), she wanted to know more about the effect he has had on the Timberwolves. Edwards highlighted that Randle’s role as a power forward benefitted him tremendously. After all, the crowd of players would usually spend time in blocking Randle. This would leave Edwards open enough to initiate some catch-and-shoot moves. However, the advantage that Randle provided would not have been as effective if Edwards’ NBA rival had not helped him out earlier.

“That’s why I’ve been working on my catch and shoot game so much this summer, and even in the Olympics with Steph” said Edwards, when highlighting Randle’s ability to draw rivals towards him. “I was working on my catch and shoot because, you know, we got him. So, I mean, I gotta be able to spot up and help him out man, and make it tough for them to double him. So I make those shots, it’s easier for him. And he’s been making it easier for me. So, I love him.”

Anthony Edwards may have certainly spent the last 4 years building his reputation up. However, it is important to remember that Stephen Curry has over 15 years of NBA experience under his belt. Along with that, he boasts All-Time records, and championship titles too. Therefore, upon being selected to represent Team USA in the 2024 Paris Olympics, Anthony Edwards gained a secondary opportunity. Along with representing his country, he got to learn and improve himself under the tutelage of the veteran.

Knowing Curry’s prowess, it was obvious that the player would be guarded by more than 1, or 2 players, from time to time. This left others like Anthony Edwards in the open. As a result, improving his catch-and-shoot aspect was essential for the player during the Olympics. Not many could have foreseen Randle’s acquisition by the Minnesota Timberwolves back then. Fortunately, working alongside the All-Time Three-Point Leader, even for a limited timeframe, seemed to have helped Edwards quite a bit. As a result, when it was time to play their first game together, Edwards revealed that he had a message for his new teammate.

“We told him this morning, don’t fit around us, we’ll fit around you,” said Edwards after the Timberwolves-Kings game back in late October. “And he showed us today!”

Several changes have taken place in the Timberwolves franchise over the last few weeks. However, the fact that Edwards’ three-point shooting output has also improved may, or may not, have gone unnoticed. As it turns out, this change was also brought about by the Warriors star’s influence.

Anthony Edwards revealed how practicing under Stephen Curry increased his three-point output: “That plays a big role, watching him”

During the previous season, Anthony Edwards could only average 4.5-10.5 three-pointers. As a result, his percentage stood at 35.7%. Over the course of 22 games in the ongoing season, however, that has changed! Today, the 23-year-old is averaging 4.5-10.5 three-pointers, with the percentage having shot up to 42.2%. During a recent discussion with Rachel Nichols, Edwards decided to give credit where he felt it was due.

“That plays a big role, watching him [Curry] and trying to figure out my mechanics,” said Edwards. For the Timberwolves star, the Olympic experience with Curry contributed to his own ability in generating quality looks. It also helped in him enhancing his shot mechanics. This is why, when discussing the person who influenced him the most in Paris, Edwards had to state “I’d say Steph. Playing without the ball, running around, cutting, setting screening, getting guys open. Steph did it for the whole Olympics and I definitely try to mimic that.”

Despite the Timberwolves’s earlier difficulty in maintaining a win record, the team has manged to survive under a 12-10 win record, and a 4-game win streak. If Edwards and Randle continued playing at the same pace, the odds may start turning more in their favor. Fortunately, for the duo, they have Curry’s teaching guiding them along. Even when it comes to defeating him, as seen from the 107-90 score in the Timberwolves-Warriors game.