Souhan: Can Anthony Edwards reach Kirby Puckett status in Minnesota sports history?

In Minnesota sports history, one man stands above all others.

One man became not only a superstar but the best player and defining personality on a modern-day major men’s championship team.

Kirby Puckett redefined success in Minnesota men’s pro sports, as well as charisma and leadership, and since his big moments in the 1991 World Series enabled the Twins to win their second title in five years, no major Minnesota men’s pro team has won it all.

Can Anthony Edwards pick up where Puckett left off 34 years ago and deliver a title?

The two are different in obvious ways.

Puckett won two rings. We don’t yet know whether Edwards can be the best player on an NBA championship team.

Puckett embraced the role of franchise player and served as team spokesman on a daily basis. He believed that his willingness to answer all questions relieved some of his more reticent teammates of that responsibility. He often spoke rapidly and prompted a lot of laughter without saying much other than the obvious. “Talk every day and say very little” was a sound strategy, one that Derek Jeter adopted as captain of the New York Yankees.

Edwards can be blunt, engaging and funny when he speaks after games, but he usually avoids after-practice interviews. He spoke once before the Lakers series, didn’t speak before the Warriors series and spoke once during the wait for the Western Conference finals.

Puckett made it to the big leagues at the age of 24 and didn’t play in a playoff game until he was 27. Edwards made his NBA debut at 19 and is about to play in his 38th playoff game at the age of 23.

Puckett conditioned himself by playing hard and working at the game. He also poked fun at himself for his round shape and admitted he never lifted weights until the last offseason of his career.

The Timberwolves frequently note that Edwards is in impeccable shape, with low body fat, and he is renowned for his yearlong work in the gym, whether working on basketball skills or strength and conditioning.

Neither subscribed to the refined diet of the modern elite athlete. Puckett loved food and would have a certain restaurant’s fried catfish delivered to the visiting clubhouse in Anaheim Stadium. Edwards, too, believes he can eat what he likes if he works hard enough.

The comparison of the two comes down to two important variables: charisma and accomplishment.

Anyone covering the Twins in the ′80s and ′90s knew that Puckett was the life of the clubhouse every day of the season. We knew because we spent hours a day in the clubhouse, meaning we spent hours every day hearing Puckett needle teammates, coaches, staffers and reporters, in a way that made everyone smile.

Puckett was a uniter.

We don’t get to see much of Edwards in the locker room, except for after games. Even those small windows reveal that Edwards possesses Puckett’s gift for constant, unifying conversation.

“Just being around him on a daily basis, man, it’s incredible,” Wolves forward Julius Randle said. “He never has a bad day. He never comes in moody, not wanting to talk or not wanting to work every day. He comes in, he puts on his hard hat, he works hard, gives it all his effort. He’s always talkative, communicative. That’s who he is every single day.”

Asked to describe Edwards as a teammate, Wolves center Rudy Gobert said, “I need more time to answer, so I can write a book. He’s highly competitive. He’s a very funny guy. He has extremely high confidence. He speaks his mind and he’s always joking around. … We have good times because of his genuineness. Not everyone has that."

Said Wolves guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker: “The thing about Ant is his personality, and how much pressure he takes off the game, and the confidence he has in himself. Which, to me, is why he’s Anthony Edwards.”

The Wolves are eight victories away from Edwards winning a title and moving into Puckett’s pantheon.

As great as Puckett was, this achievement would be even more impressive on an individual basis, simply because basketball stars have more impact on their games than baseball players do.