Anthony Edwards has been ahead of schedule for as long as Joe Scott has known the young NBA star.

Scott, in his second stint as coach of the Air Force men’s basketball program, first laid eyes on Edwards early in a two-year run as an assistant coach to Tom Crean at Georgia.

“The first time I went out to recruit for Georgia, he was like the first guy I saw play,” Scott told The Denver Gazette Wednesday morning.

Edwards was playing for the Atlanta Xpress, heading into what was supposed to be his junior year of high school.

“I remember seeing him and saying ‘Man, this guy’s a pro.’ There was no ifs, ands or buts,” Scott said. “He could pass. His athleticism is just so functionally basketball. You can say it’s off the charts or whatever, but the most important thing about it is it’s all related to basketball. He’s a phenomenal cutter. He’s a phenomenal changer of direction. He’s not a track athlete. He’s a basketball player. I think that’s what’s sort of a big separator for him. He can apply it defensively. That’s what I saw.”

That ended up being the summer before his senior season. Edwards reclassified, effectively skipping his junior year of high school. A year later, Edwards was a 17-year-old enrolling at Georgia. In his lone college season, he led the Bulldogs with 19.1 points and 1.3 steals per game. The SEC Freshman of the Year declared for the draft and was Minnesota’s selection with the first overall pick in the 2020 draft.

After three NBA seasons, Edwards has an all-rookie selection (2021), one All-Star appearance (2023) and one All-FIBA World Cup selection after being the best player on the United States squad this summer. He started his fourth professional season with 26 points and 14 rebounds against Toronto. He had 31 points, seven assists, and five rebounds on Monday in Atlanta. Then, he dropped 24 points on 15 shots, as the Timberwolves became the first team to beat the Nuggets this season.

Scott said three things have allowed Edwards to continue his NBA ascent. First, it’s the functional athleticism that’s been present for as long as Scott’s been around.

“He can get out of going in one direction and be going in the next direction – like full speed – like you can’t believe. And he can do it with the ball in his hands,” Scott said.

“That’s why you’ve seen this big jump.”

Then, there’s the professional aspect. Scott said there were times when Edwards struggled with the adjustment to life in college, as most 17-year-olds might. He’s continued his maturation into the professional ranks.

“That means something, being a good pro,” Scott said.

“He’s learned to do that, which is now making his basketball really jump off the charts.”

The final piece has more to do with the person than the player. Even though Edwards showed up in Athens, Ga., as the highest-ranked recruit in program history, Scott said he never saw him act bigger or better than anyone. He’s flashed an engaging personality throughout his professional career, including a starring role in the movie “Hustle,” alongside Adam Sandler and Juancho Hernangomez.

“He’s genuine. He’s just got a good heart,” Scott said. “You add that to the equation (with) those first two things, I think that’s what makes a star.”

As a 21-year-old, Edwards averaged 31.6 points. 5.2 assists, 5 rebounds, 2 blocks, and 1.8 steals in the five playoff games Minnesota played against Denver.

Despite being just 22, Edwards has similar odds to win this season’s Most Valuable Player as stars like LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Damian Lillard. He looked the part Wednesday against the Nuggets. He capped an 18-point first half with a pair of driving dunks. He started the night by dribbling between his legs multiple times before going off the glass for his first bucket. He hit jump shots and defended Jamal Murray when Jaden McDaniels ended up in foul trouble in the second half.

“Everybody oohs and aahs, you know, about young guys,” Scott said, remembering his first impression of Edwards. “His was always just almost the whole package.”

Minnesota’s young star is still ahead of schedule.

***

TIMBERWOLVES 110, NUGGETS 89

What happened: The Timberwolves became the first team this season to take down the Nuggets (4-1).

Minnesota scored the first nine points and jumped out to an 18-4 lead. Denver closed within seven by the end of the first but fell behind by as many as 22 in the second. A 35-point quarter allowed the hosts to take a 63-44 halftime lead. The Nuggets shaved a couple of points off the lead by the start of the fourth quarter, but the Timberwolves stretched the lead to 23 midway through the fourth before the end of Denver’s bench closed the game.

What went right: Hunter Tyson’s late dunk is about the only option on the Nuggets’ list of positives. The forward scored his first career points in the final minutes. Braxton Key drove baseline before a second defender forced him to pass. Tyson cut toward the rim at the right angle to receive Key’s pass and go up for a two-handed dunk. Even Nikola Jokic, who led the Nuggets with 25 points and 10 rebounds finished with more turnovers (5) than assists (3).

What went wrong: Minnesota’s size bothered the Nuggets inside and out. The Timberwolves started the game with the 6-foot-9 Jaden McDaniels guarding Jamal Murray. Murray missed all nine of his shots in the first half. Inside, Karl-Anthony Towns scored 15 points in the first half and got Aaron Gordon in some foul trouble, while Rudy Gobert finished with a game-high 12 rebounds. It’s just one game, but Minnesota looks like a more problematic matchup for Denver than they did in last season’s playoffs when the Timberwolves were without Naz Reid and McDaniels.

Highlight of the night: With not much to choose from on the Denver side, Anthony Edwards’s driving dunk to end the first half was objectively the best play of the night. Minnesota’s young star turned the corner on Nikola Jokic and almost got eye level with the rim before beating the buzzer with a two-handed slam.

Up next: The Nuggets host the Mavericks and Luka Doncic Friday at Ball Arena (8 p.m., ESPN). It is both teams’ first game of the new In-Season Tournament.