Anthony Edwards announced his candidacy to be the face of the NBA in the Minnesota Timberwolves’ Game 1 win over the Phoenix Suns in their first-round playoff series. The young guard had his way with the Suns’ defense, torching them for 33 points, on his way to leading his team to a 120-95 win.
Edwards’ performance was impressive enough to earn him a comparison with six-time NBA champion, Michael Jordan. Comparisons between MJ and Ant-Man’s playing styles have already become a staple in NBA circles. On Tuesday’s episode of the Stephen A. Smith Show, the ESPN analyst fanned the flames further,
“Anthony Edwards, Lord have mercy… Watching Anthony Edwards gave me flashbacks of MJ (Michael Jordan) in Game 1 of the 1992 NBA Finals… That’s what I saw from Anthony Edwards in the third quarter against Kevin Durant. That’s what it felt like as he dismantled the Suns scoring 18 points in that third quarter and was talking smack to KD. Looking for KD. Giving it to KD and then talking to KD.”
Smith called Edwards his new “favorite player” in the NBA and it’s no surprise he feels that way. The Timberwolves star hit jumper and jumper in Game 1 of the series, regardless of whether Devin Booker, Bradley Beal, or Durant guarded him. Smith’s comparison of Edwards’ performance in the series-opener with Michael Jordan’s stunning outing in Game 1 of the 1992 NBA Finals against the Portland Trail Blazers is pretty apt.
The Bulls superstar tweaked his game in the series and resorted to shooting jumpers instead of attacking the rim. But that did not affect his efficiency. He shot 6-0f-10 from beyond the arc and finished with 39 points in a 122-89 win for Chicago. Like Jordan, Edwards shot an efficient 4-of-8 on three-point attempts. The 22-year-old put on a show and even dominated Durant, one of the greatest players in NBA history.
Michael Jordan endorses Anthony Edwards as his successor in the NBA
Stephen A. Smith isn’t the only one who sees Michael Jordan in Anthony Edwards. The Bulls icon himself sees glimpses of his prowess in the Timberwolves’ rising star. While Jordan hasn’t publicly admitted to it, he sent the message via Fox Sports analyst Chris Broussard. On the March 19th episode of First Things First, Broussard said that he had reached out to Jordan for his opinion on Edwards. He revealed,
“I reached out to the GOAT (Michael Jordan) today. Michael Jordan said there are similarities in their games, he agreed!”
Jordan is seemingly watching Edwards closely and Smith confirmed this on Monday’s episode of First Take. The analyst said that he had called the Bulls icon to ask if he was watching the young guard dismantle the Suns. He responded in the affirmative and said,
“That brother is special. No question about it.”
Getting Michael Jordan’s stamp of approval is a badge of honor for any basketball player. For the GOAT to acknowledge that he sees similarities between himself and Edwards is a distinction unlike any other.
