Mark Cuban, never one to shy away from stirring the pot, has once again injected himself into the NBA officiating conversation, this time by calling out Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards for a repeated free-throw violation.
During a recent appearance on the Road Trippin podcast, Cuban accused Edwards of consistently stepping over the free-throw line before the ball hits the rim, a technical violation that he claims referees routinely ignore.
“I’m going to create controversy right here, right now with a referee thing,” Cuban said. “Watch Anthony Edwards. When he takes a free throw shot… every single time he steps over the line. Every time.”
According to NBA rules, a shooter may not cross the plane of the free-throw line until the ball touches the rim, backboard, or the free throw ends. Cuban insists Edwards violates this rule regularly, and he’s frustrated that officials aren’t enforcing it. He even referenced his past efforts to hold players accountable:
“Back in the day, I used to send in tapes on Shaq. So I sent in Shaq and they started calling it, and he had to fix his free throws.”
Cuban recounted a specific game where Edwards allegedly stepped over the line in a crucial moment:
“We had a game against them where they were up like 93–92 with a few seconds left. He goes two feet, he steps over the line, and then the ball goes in the basket. I’m like, this is the easiest call for a ref. Just watch to see if he steps over the line. And they refuse to call it.”
Mark Cuban says he talked to the league about Anthony Edwards stepping over the line on free throws
“Watch Anthony Edwards when he takes a free throw shot. Watch when he shoots his free throws. Every single time he steps over the line – every time.”pic.twitter.com/MKl3mM1oTH
— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) September 12, 2025
Edwards, who averaged 27.6 points per game last season and led Minnesota to back-to-back Western Conference Finals appearances, is under a brighter spotlight than ever. Cuban’s critique suggests that even the smallest details of his game are being scrutinized.
It’s worth noting that Edwards isn’t alone, many NBA players subtly step into the paint during free throws, and violations are rarely called unless egregious.
Cuban says he’s already spoken to the league about Edwards’ routine, but so far, there’s been no indication of a rule enforcement shift. Whether this leads to tighter officiating or simply fades as another Cuban soundbite remains to be seen.
