Netflix’s must-see docuseriesStarting 5tracks five of theNBA’s biggest stars through the 2023/2024 basketball season, documenting their highs and lows on and off the court. Undoubtedlythe star of the piece is icon Lebron James, playing his 21st season at the top of the game, andStarting 5’s central theme is thecontinuing speculation about James' possible retirement, but it’s Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves' mercurial talent, that steals the show, much as he did in 2022 whenstarring as Kermit Wilts in Adam Sandler’s highly rated movieHustle.
Edwards' basketball chops are beyond question, andinStarting 5he confirms the popular perception that, at age 22, he is James' natural successoras the future face of the sport. Recruited as the Wolves' number-one pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, he immediately invited comparisons with Michael Jordan, who shared his athleticism and combative spirit. He then led Minnesota to the playoffs in his last three seasons, appeared in two All-Star games, and took the Wolves to the Western Conference Finals in 2024. However, whileStarting 5provides a fascinating insight into Edwards' professionalism,Hustleshows another side to his character.
Anthony Edwards Shone In Netflix’s Hustle Before Starting 5
Adam Sandler Praised Edwards' Acting Prowess
While it was his skills and personality on the court that first brought Edwards to prominence,his performance in front of the cameras in Sandler’sHustleannounced him as a multi-talented performer. His character Kermit Wilts,the chief antagonist to main character Bo Cruz, is delivered with the same swagger and boisterous aggression Edwards brings to the NBA.
“Edwards' charisma, sense of humor, and authenticity shine through.”
Edwards' performance as Wilts drew effusive praise from Director Sandler, describing the Minnesota shooting guard as a natural acting talent.Starting 5confirms that assertion - both on and off the court,Edwards' charisma, sense of humor, and authenticity shine through. His willingness to spar verbally and physically with senior players, often with his tongue firmly in his cheek, endears him both to the audience and to his fellow professionals. These qualities all shine through inHustle’s fictionalized setting.
Starting 5 & Hustle Both Prove Ant Edwards Is A Star
Edward’s Natural Charisma Marks Him As A Star
The personality Edwards displays in bothHustleandStarting 5clearly doesn’t hurt his marketability either. Undoubtedly, he’s en route to becoming a household name, and might even have an acting future once his basketball skills have gone.Edwards is seen as the NBA’s unpolished jewel in their crown,and he knows it. In the final episode ofStarting 5, “Just Be Yourself,” he sums up his future: “When you’re in your prime you’re, like, 26. I’m doing this at 22. Imagine what I’ll be like at 26. Buckle up.”
Edwards does have moments of immaturity inStarting 5,but in episode 7, “Push,” he becomes a first-time father, and his world changes. Forced to leave a game early to attend the birth of his daughter, Edwards appears at first to struggle with the enormity of his new responsibilities, butby the end of the documentary, he’s fully on board and functioning, with new maturity that bodes wellfor the NBA, and also, in time, the acting world.
Starting 5
Cast
NBA superstars LeBron James, Jimmy Butler, Jayson Tatum, Domantas Sabonis, and Anthony Edwards give fans an intimate look at their lives on and off the court. The docuseries follows their 2023-2024 season, capturing not just the intense games but also personal moments with family, showing the balance between professional demands and personal commitments.
