From the slums of the Philippines to the streets of his hometown, Atlanta, kids all over the world aspire to be just like Anthony Edwards.
The Minnesota Timberwolves guard's big dunks and magnetic personality have made him one of the NBA's biggest stars, but that's not enough for Edwards, who is looking for off-court stardom that young basketball players can emulate and apply to their own careers.
“We don't want to just be athletes,” business manager Justin Holland said in an interview. “We want to show the next generation how to compete and build a business around the brand. If we can do that, then everything will move in the right direction for young people.”
While many famous athletes launch businesses later in their careers, Edwards isn't waiting. At just 22 years old, the two-time All-Star has already begun building a business empire with personal ventures and brand deals under parent company AE Five Enterprises. His on-court success, along with a chance to lead the T-Wolves to their first Finals appearance, puts his business team in a good position right now.
“We've been preparing for this moment for a long time,” said Holland, 37, a former Liberty University basketball player who met Edwards when he was 14 and playing youth football in Atlanta, and helped transition him as his first basketball trainer. “Everybody thinks he's coming up so quickly, but internally it feels totally different because we know how much work has gone into moving forward.”
Edwards, who left Klutch Sports for WME Sports last year, hopes to leverage the resources and connections of a Hollywood talent agency to not only boost his marketing profile but also make an impact in the worlds of film and music. Edwards gained attention after starring opposite Adam Sandler in Netflix's “Star Wars: Episode I – A New Hope.” Hustle He owns his own media and production studio, Three Fifths Media.
Founded by Holland and Edwards in 2019, the startup is a subsidiary of Showtime Get it and Not EnoughThe series also has credits including Bleacher Report (2019 Huncho Day Recap) and ESPN (a short film featuring Andscape's Anthony Edwards choosing UGA over Kentucky), with projects with Netflix and Amazon in the works.
“Our goal is for this media company to be one we can trust and leave a legacy on,” Holland added.
WME, which also represents Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch and minority investor Alex Rodriguez, is working with Holland and others in his camp to build Three 5th Media into an entertainment powerhouse. Edwards, for example, will work with Kawhi Leonard as executive producer on an album for his music venture, Culture Jam, which will also include Edwards' brother, the rapper Be Different.
Edwards has the opportunity to be one of the first athlete clients to take full advantage of WME's massive flywheel across sports, media and fashion.
“When it comes to his business, we don't want to just do the standard,” Stephanie Mejia, an NBA agent at WME, said in an interview. “We want to separate him from what he's been doing before… Our vision is to make it his own, not to imitate it.”
This means the former No. 1 draft pick will set the strategic and creative direction of his off-court endeavors in a way that feels right to him, including continued investment in community outreach and grassroots basketball, which Edwards, raised by a single mother, sees as an important after-school outlet for young basketball players.
Holland is Edwards' go-to person for all matters relating to AE Five Enterprises and facilitates most business-related conversations. He frequently presents Edwards with potential deals and opportunities, which Edwards either declines or accepts.
Edwards is tapping into the expertise of some of his best friends from his early days in Atlanta and combining it with WME's cross-platform capabilities.
“We're trying to get into every category,” Holland said.
Despite the presence of Peyton Manning in Indianapolis and a young LeBron James in Cleveland, there's still a notion that playing in a small media market stunts exposure and causes brands to be reluctant to sign big marketing deals. Edwards, along with Oklahoma City guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, show that in today's social media era, that may no longer be the case.
“When you look at these big markets, sometimes there's just too much going on. [like Minnesota]”The whole state is rooting for Anthony and the Timberwolves,” Mejia said. “I think that helps, honestly.”
Holland said Edwards, whose brands include Sprite, Fanatics and Bose, plans to continue adding to his portfolio of endorsement deals. Edwards' business team is sometimes selective when it comes to partnering with brands. Chipotle, for example, made Edwards its first and only professional basketball player partner.
Edwards continues to be one of Adidas' most popular basketball players. His signature shoe (the AE 1 Low) continues to be a big seller. No doubt his activities outside of the NBA have contributed to this sales. Hustle Edwards gained international attention after coming out and playing for the U.S. national team in the 2023 FIBA World Cup, winning a gold medal in Manila last summer.
“They just started construction on Anthony Edwards Court in the Philippines,” Holland says. “You never realize how big a deal you are until you're on the other side of the world and people know your name.”
The partnership with Adidas includes sponsorship of Edwards' Atlanta-based AAU team (AE5) through the footwear giant's 355B grassroots program, and will garner even more global attention when Edwards travels overseas this summer to compete in the Summer Olympics in Paris.
Edwards would call Kevin Durant his teammate in Paris after the Timberwolves beat the Phoenix Suns in the playoffs. It was an epic battle between the longtime star and the player who could be the next face of the league. Edwards, who calls KD his favorite player, is building a multifaceted business similar to what Durant did with his family office, 35 Ventures.
AE Five Enterprises, which includes Edwards' community initiative “Don't Follow the Waves,” is still in its early stages, but the goal is to follow in the footsteps of Durant and James' Spring Hill Company. Black Ice Through his documentaries that focus on Black hockey players, Edwards hopes his company can tell untold stories that resonate with Black and other diverse communities.
Both James and Durant have become prominent investors in startups and various consumer brands throughout their NBA careers, and Holland said he and Edwards have been doing their due diligence and learning about private equity and venture capital, but there's no rush given Edwards' young age and his first max contract.
“It's something you gradually get used to, [we’ll] “He's been putting together game plans his whole career,” he said.
Meanwhile, Edwards is focused on his on-court duties, while his team handles everything from brand partnership meetings to production calls with studios, shaping his vision for creating his own legacy off the court.
