Anthony Edwards Deemed Ineligible for 2025–26 NBA Awards After Appeal Denied
Anthony Edwards will not be eligible for the 2025–26 NBA Awards after falling short of the league’s minimum games requirement and having his appeal rejected.
The Minnesota Timberwolves guard appeared in 61 regular-season games—four fewer than the NBA’s 65-game threshold for award consideration. Edwards filed an appeal under the collective bargaining agreement, citing extraordinary circumstances, but the request was denied by an independent arbitrator, the league confirmed Thursday.
In contrast, both Luka Dončić and Cade Cunningham were granted exceptions despite also falling short of the requirement. Cunningham played 64 games while dealing with a collapsed lung, and Dončić appeared in 64 contests before suffering a leg injury, with both cases approved for award eligibility.
The NBA introduced the 65-game rule ahead of the 2023–24 season in an effort to limit load management and encourage star players to participate more consistently. Despite missing the cutoff, Edwards delivered an outstanding season, averaging a career-high 28.8 points along with 5.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game, while shooting efficiently from the field, three-point range, and the free-throw line.
Although there are differences between Edwards’ situation and those of Dončić and Cunningham, his exclusion has raised questions, especially given his level of play. Edwards has already earned two All-NBA Second Team selections and appeared to be a strong candidate for First Team honors this year.
Many observers view him as one of the league’s top players—arguably within the top 10—but the NBA ruled him five games short of eligibility, noting that one appearance in October lasted only three minutes and did not count toward the total.
Situations like this were anticipated when the rule was implemented, and while it may feel flawed in cases like Edwards’, the league hopes it will ultimately address load management concerns. Still, critics argue it’s contradictory to maintain an 82-game season for historical consistency while excluding elite performers over a narrow games-played margin.
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