With the 2026-27 NBA MVP award months away, Anthony Edwards has an avid supporter for him even before the regular season kicks in. Kendrick Perkins thinks the Minnesota Timberwolves superstar shooting guard will confidently win the accolade when the season winds down.
His expectations for Edwards have increased after the Wolves added LaMelo Ball to their backcourt this offseason.
Perkins previously called Ball and Edwards the “best (expletive) backcourt in the NBA” after Minnesota acquired Ball in July. Now, the ESPN analyst believes the new pairing could help Edwards take another step and win the NBA MVP award.
“I also believe he's going to win MVP this season,” Perkins said of Edwards. “LaMelo Ball is gonna impact Anthony Edwards in such a positive way that I got Anthony Edwards as my frontrunner going into this season as the MVP.”
Article Continues Below"I also believe he's going to win MVP this season."
@KendrickPerkins is expecting big things from Anthony Edwards playing next to a playmaker like LaMelo Ball 👀 pic.twitter.com/cRVfRHJPYw— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) September 30, 2026
Edwards finished third in the NBA in scoring last season, averaging 28.8 points per game. He played 61 games and ranked behind only Luka Doncic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in scoring.
Ball could provide the playmaking Edwards has lacked alongside him. Ball averaged 7.1 assists in 72 games for Charlotte last season and led the league in made 3-pointers. Perkins believes that added creation could allow Edwards to play more efficiently while taking some pressure off him.
Edwards has been more cautious about how quickly the pairing will develop. He acknowledged that the first season alongside Ball could involve an adjustment period as both guards learn how to share the ball and their new roles.
Minnesota has reached the Western Conference Finals twice in the past three seasons, losing to the Dallas Mavericks in 2024 and the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2025. The offseason additions of Ball and Jonathan Kuminga have raised expectations around the team.