Georgia Bulldogs celebrate Anthony Edwards going No. 1 in NBA Draft

Anthony Edwards is off the board.

Georgia’s one-and-done shooting guard was drafted to the Minnesota Timberwolves with the No. 1 pick of the NBA Draft. He’s the highest Bulldog to be chosen since Dominique Wilkins, the third-overall pick of the Utah Jazz in 1982.

Edwards averaged 19.1 points per game for the Bulldogs last season. He was a five-star prospect and Georgia’s most-prized recruit under head coach Tom Crean.

“This is an incredibly special night for an incredibly special young man,” Crean said in a team statement. “I know the time and the effort he’s put into getting to this point. He’s earned it. He works extremely hard. He’s dedicated to getting better.”

Edwards was named SEC Freshman of the Year by league coaches and The Associated Press.

He’s the second Bulldog drafted in the past two seasons. Forward Nicolas Claxton was the 31st pick in 2019 by the Brooklyn Nets.

“This is a big-time moment for this program,” Crean said. “When you’re trying to build on what others have done here before, you’ve got to have moments that help establish what you want your program to be. I think this is something that everyone who has ever been a part of Georgia basketball can be proud of. It also shows that you can come to Georgia, and in Anthony’s case come to Georgia and stay close to home, and you can achieve all of your dreams. That’s really, really important for us.”

Highest NBA first-round draft picks for UGA

• Anthony Edwards — No. 1 in 2020 to Minnesota
• Dominique Wilkins — No. 3 in 1982 to Utah (traded to Atlanta)
• Kentavious Caldwell-Pope — No. 8 in 2013 to Detroit
• Willie Anderson — No. 10 in 1988 to San Antonio
• Jarvis Hayes — No. 10 in 2003 to Washington
• Alec Kessler — No. 12 in 1990 to Houston (traded to Miami)
• Vern Fleming — No. 18 in 1984 to Indiana
• Jumaine Jones — No. 27 in 1999 to Atlanta (traded to Philadelphia)

This story was originally published November 18, 2020 at 8:11 PM.