The Dr. Pepper TEN Classic’s opening game between Atlanta Holy Spirit and our town’s Hamilton Heights Christian Academy was less than five seconds old Friday night when Holy Spirit’s Anthony Edwards emphatically delivered a dunk to end all dunks, much to the delight of the packed house at McCallie School’s Student Activities Center.
Then, a few seconds later, he deftly feathered through a long 3-pointer off the left side, just in case anyone was still wondering why he’s regarded as no worse than the second best player in the country in the 2019 recruiting class.
Said Hamilton Heights coach Zach Ferrell of Edwards after the senior had scored 34 points in a 72-68 loss to the Hawks: “He’s a pro. He’s a certain lottery pick down the road. He has everything you’d want in a player. He’s athletic; he’s skilled; he’s composed. He’s pretty much got a pro body (6-foot-5, 215 pounds) now. He’s the best player we’ve gone against all year, and we’ve faced (James) Wiseman twice.”
For those who don’t keep up with such things, the 6-11 Wiseman at Memphis East is widely regarded as the best player in his class. He is staying in Memphis to play for Penny Hardaway.
But Edwards – who sometimes has been compared to current NBA superstar James Harden for his size, strength and shooting range – might be the No. 1 overall pick by the summer of 2020.