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Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards to wear No. 5 jersey to honor mother, grandmother

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James Foglio
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James Foglio Sports Editor

James is a Basketball Insiders contributor. He earned his bachelor's degree in English and Creative Writing from Southern New Hampshire University. James enjoys watching sports and helping gamblers win money.

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Updated01 Aug 2023

Minnesota Timberwolves Anthony Edwards to wear No. 5 jersey to honor mother, grandmother

Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards has worn the No. 1 jersey since the organization selected him first overall in the 2020 NBA Draft, but now the 6-foot-4 guard will wear No. 5 to honor his deceased mother, Yvette, and grandmother, Shirley.

Edwards lost his mom and grandma to cancer during an eight-month span in 2015, when he was just 14 years old. Both died on the fifth of the month. “A1 From Day 1 was given to me,” Edwards told The Athletic’s Shams Charania. “That wasn’t something I created. … I’ve always been No. 5.”

Referring to a few NBA betting sites, the Minnesota Timberwolves hold 17th-ranked odds to win next season’s championship in 2024. Sportsbooks are showing better odds for the Memphis Grizzlies, New Orleans Pelicans, and Sacramento Kings.


After their deaths, Edwards was raised by his sister, Antoinette, and brother, Antoine, who shared legal custody over him. The Timberwolves star spent his early life in Atlanta, Georgia. As a consensus five-star recruit, he attended Daniel McLaughlin Therrell High School and then transferred to Holy Spirit Preparatory School in January 2017.

Edwards wore No. 5 in high school and at the University of Georgia prior to the NBA. His birthday is also Aug. 5. Justin Holland, his trainer and former college basketball player for Liberty University, echoed the guard’s comments. “He’s playing for his family,” Holland said. “It’s a family number.”

Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards to wear No. 5 jersey to honor deceased mother, Yvette, and grandmother, Shirley; both family members died from cancer in 2015

Moreover, when Anthony Edwards was three years old, his father gave him the nickname “Ant-Man.” The No. 5 has no connection to the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s superhero, but comicbook.com writer Jamie Lovett did publish an article in 2015 titled “Sizing Up Scott Lang’s Five Best Ant-Man Stories.”

Edwards, 21, received his first All-Star selection in the 2022-23 season. In 79 starts, the guard averaged career highs of 24.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 1.6 steals, and 36 minutes per game. The former Bulldog also shot career bests of 45.9% from the floor and 36.9% beyond the arc.

In the Timberwolves’ 113-104 win over the Houston Rockets on Jan. 21, the Georgia native scored a season-high 44 points in 41 minutes as a starter. Along with notching six boards, four assists, three steals, and three blocks, Edwards shot 17-of-29 (58.6%) from the field and 8-of-16 (50%) from 3-point range.


Additionally, Edwards finished sixth in points (1,946) this past season, third in steals (125), fourth in field goals (707), second in minutes played (2,842), 12th in defensive win shares (3.6), and second in turnovers (259). Not to mention, he led the NBA in missed field goals (834).

In Game 2 of Minnesota’s 122-113 loss to the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs, Edwards recorded a playoff career-high 41 points. His 41 points set a Timberwolves franchise record for the most points scored in a postseason game, surpassing Sam Cassell’s previous record of 40.

In July, Edwards and the Timberwolves agreed to a five-year, $205.9 million designated rookie max extension that could be worth as much as $260 million. His current contract ends after the 2023-24 season. His $13,534,817 team option for 2023-24 was exercised last October.

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