Anthony Edwards made headlines on December 31, 2025. The Minnesota Timberwolves star pretty abruptly left the bench. Kerr Apologizes to Green After Heated Exchange, Calls it ‘Not My Finest Hour’ happened during a game against the Atlanta Hawks. It was a tough night for the Wolves. They were facing a pretty big deficit.
The incident happened late in the game. Minnesota pulled its starters. Edwards clearly wasn’t happy about it. He just got up and walked off the court. It was an unplanned exit.
A Frustrated Exit in Atlanta
The game was playing out in Atlanta. The Timberwolves were really struggling. They ended up losing 126-102 to the Hawks. Edwards’ exit came with 7 minutes, 52 seconds left on the clock. The Hawks were leading big. It was 109-80 at that point. Coach Chris Finch decided to take his starters out. That really seemed to set Edwards off.
He tossed his towel. Then he just walked straight off the bench. He left the court during that timeout. You could tell he was pretty mad about the whole thing. Edwards is an Atlanta native, too. His friends and family, including his grandfather, were there. That might have added to the frustration. Nobody wants to play bad in front of their home crowd. Even if it is an away game for them.
Edwards actually had a good game individually. He led the team with 30 points. He shot 10-of-18 from the field. That included three 3-pointers. He played for 33 minutes. He’s been scoring a lot this season. He came into that night eighth in the NBA. He was averaging 29.1 points per game. But personal stats probably don’t matter much when you’re losing badly.
Coach Finch’s Stance and Ant’s Recent History
Edwards didn’t speak to reporters after the game. So, we don’t really have his side of it yet. But Coach Finch did talk. He wasn’t thrilled with Edwards’ actions. Finch said he should have stayed on the bench. He just needs to root for his team. That’s what Finch told reporters. “Obviously frustrated with the performance and rightfully so, but he needs to stay out on the floor and root for his team,” Finch explained.
This isn’t the first time Edwards has shown some intense emotion lately. He was also ejected recently. That happened in overtime during a loss at Denver. The Timberwolves lost that game 142-138. Edwards scored 44 points in that one. But he got tossed for arguing foul calls. He’s a competitive guy, that’s for sure. And sometimes that passion boils over. It’s just part of his game, I guess.
A Pattern of Passion and Resilience
This latest incident in Atlanta just shows how much Edwards hates to lose. It’s a real competitive fire. And you see it in other ways too. Like earlier this year, in the Western Conference semifinals. He had a pretty scary ankle injury. This was against the Golden State Warriors. In Game 2, Warriors big man Trayce Jackson-Davis landed on his left ankle. Edwards was already playing on a compromised ankle. It happened in the first round against the Lakers.
He left the game after that. Everyone, even Coach Finch, thought he was done. But Edwards came back out. And he played even better. He scored 13 of his 20 points after halftime. He grabbed five of his nine rebounds too. That was a really gutty performance. Teammates couldn’t believe it. Josh Minott said he had an “immortal ankle.” Another teammate, Julius Randle, called him “Ironman” or “Wolverine.” He just doesn’t sit out. He’s always pushing through. And that’s pretty impressive.
So, this latest bench exit, it comes from that same place. That same extreme will to win. He doesn’t want to be on the bench if there’s any chance to play. Even if the game is a blowout. And that’s a part of what makes him such a compelling player. You can get updates on other league news here.
What’s Next for the Wolves Star?
The Timberwolves will need to address this. Coach Finch already made his feelings clear. Edwards is a huge part of their team. He’s their offensive engine. But maintaining composure is also important. Especially for a leader. You want your star players to set a good example. The league is always watching these things. This kind of stuff gets a lot of attention. People will be talking about it for a bit.
It’s a balance, right? You want that fire. But you also need control. For the team’s sake. And for Edwards’ reputation. He’s still pretty young, too. He’s only 23. He’s learning how to be a superstar in the league. These are just some growing pains. He’s got a bright future. But incidents like this will be part of his story. We’ll see how he bounces back. And how the team handles it. NBA fans follow everything closely. You can find more NBA stories on ESPN.
Soureesh Datta 
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