Anthony Edwards grew up attending a Catholic-affiliated school in Atlanta, and he often speaks positively about God. However, the Timberwolves’ rising star has never publicly declared a specific religious affiliation. He frequently posts thank-you messages to the Lord on social media, which suggests Christian faith, but official sources simply note his Catholic schooling and do not confirm any religion by name.
Quick Profile: Anthony Edwards
| Full Name | Anthony Edwards |
| Date of Birth | August 5, 2001 |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | Professional Basketball Player |
| Team | Minnesota Timberwolves (NBA) |
| Religion | Christianity (raised in Catholic school) |
What religion is Anthony Edwards?
Despite references to faith, Anthony Edwards’ official religion has not been publicly stated. He attended Holy Spirit Preparatory School in Atlanta, an independent Roman Catholic school, which implies he was raised with Catholic influences.
In interviews and public profiles, Edwards has not explicitly named a religion. Fans have noted that he often thanks “the Lord” in his posts and wears symbols of faith (such as the cross), but he has not confirmed whether he practices Christianity or another faith.
Early Life
Anthony Edwards was born on August 5, 2001 in Atlanta, Georgia. As a child he excelled in sports. He earned the nickname “Ant-Man” at age 3 from his father, and he played youth football (as running back, quarterback and cornerback) for the Atlanta Vikings, becoming one of the nation’s best Pop Warner running backs by age 10. He eventually focused on basketball in middle school, training regularly and playing pickup with his brothers.
For high school, Edwards attended Therrell High School in Atlanta and later transferred to Holy Spirit Preparatory School, a private Catholic school in Atlanta, where he was a five-star recruit by his senior year. At Holy Spirit Prep he won state championships and earned national honors (McDonald’s All-American, USA Today All-USA) before committing to play college basketball at the University of Georgia.
Career Highlights
Edwards was selected first overall in the 2020 NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves. He made an immediate impact as a rookie and earned NBA All-Rookie First Team in 2021. Over the next seasons, he developed into a franchise star known for his scoring and highlight dunks. By the 2022–23 season he had averaged over 24 points per game and was named an NBA All-Star for the first time in 2023. In that 2022–23 season he averaged 31.6 points in the Timberwolves’ playoff series against Denver and gained a reputation as one of the league’s most explosive players. Offensively, Edwards is known for his ability to fill the stat sheet; for example, by the time he turned 22 he had scored 4,871 career points – the fourth-most in NBA history before age 22 (behind only LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Carmelo Anthony). He is also a prolific three-point shooter, in 2024–25 he led the NBA in made threes and became the youngest player ever to reach 1,000 career three-pointers.
He has also been a key player for USA Basketball. Edwards played for the U.S. at the 2023 FIBA World Cup (leading the team in scoring with 18.9 points per game) and was named to the 2024 U.S. Olympic team. He helped Team USA win the Olympic gold medal in Paris 2024, averaging about 13 points per game in the tournament.
Personal Life
Away from basketball, Edwards maintains a relatively private personal life. In March 2024 he became a father, he and his longtime girlfriend Shannon welcomed their daughter, Aislynn. Edwards has experienced tragedy in his family; in 2015 (when he was in eighth grade) his mother Yvette and grandmother Shirley both died of cancer within months of each other. In their memory he chose to wear the jersey No. 5 (since they both passed away on the fifth day of a month). After losing his mother and grandmother, Edwards was raised by his older sister Antoinette and brother Antoine, who shared legal custody of him. He also often shares glimpses of family life on social media; for example, he has posted about working as a youth basketball instructor in his hometown in Georgia.
In gratitude for his blessings and to inspire others, Edwards started a community initiative. In 2023 he launched “Don’t Follow The Wave,” a program focusing on underserved youth. He pledged to contribute time, money and resources to local schools and non-profits, and to support cancer awareness programs – in particular the African American Breast Cancer Alliance in honor of his mother and grandmother’s battles with cancer.
Awards and Honors
Anthony Edwards has quickly amassed significant accolades. He is a three-time NBA All-Star (2023, 2024, 2025) and has been named to the All-NBA Second Team twice (2024, 2025) for his outstanding play. As a rookie he earned NBA All-Rookie First Team honors (2021).
Internationally, he was selected to the FIBA World Cup All-Tournament Team in 2023 and won a Olympic gold medal with Team USA at Paris 2024. In high school he was a McDonald’s All-American and was named the SEC Freshman of the Year at Georgia. He has also received fun fan-voted awards, for example, the NBA named one of his dunks (over John Collins) the 2023–24 Dunk of the Year, and in 2024 he won the NBA’s fan-favorite Block of the Year award for a memorable chase-down block.
Trivia
- Edwards was a standout in multiple sports as a youth. He played competitive Pop Warner football in Georgia and was also a skilled baseball player in high school, often batting fourth or fifth in the lineup.
- At age 22, Edwards became the youngest player in NBA history to make 1,000 career 3-pointers.
- He is the only NBA player to post at least 1,500 points and 100 steals in each of two straight seasons (2023–24 and 2024–25).
- Off the court, Edwards is known to be a dog lover, he owns two pet dogs, which he sometimes features on social media.
- His childhood nickname “Ant” (short for Ant-Man) was given by his father when he was just three years old.
