The incredible rise of Anthony Edwards against all the obstacles has turned him into a prime candidate for the next ‘Face of the NBA’. His heroics in this year’s playoffs have added substance to this narrative, pointing towards his ascent to prominence.
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Amidst the anticipation, Tracy McGrady took matters a step forward, outlining how the 22-year-old could achieve the end goal faster.
As per T-Mac, the Minnesota Timberwolves’ ongoing playoff series against the Denver Nuggets served as a crucial juncture in Ant’s career. Considering the capability of Nikola Jokic & Co. as the defending champions, Edwards must defeat them to earn his leap. This may subsequently lead to the NBA acknowledging the Georgia-born as its new face, as McGrady announced on Instagram,
“If Ant man pulls this off against the Denver Nuggets…Ant man is the face of this league…Because that team [Denver Nuggets] is so good, these guys play so well together, and to have the best player in the world [Nikola Jokic] leading charge and that could do anything, really no flaws to his game…I wanna see how handles this team”.
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The declaration remained justified, taking into account the prowess of the Nuggets. Throughout their entire 2023 playoff run, they had never lost their first game of any series, never trailed by 0-2 at any point, and also had lost only one game at home. This storyline remained intact in their 2024 first-round series against the Los Angeles Lakers too.
However, the Timberwolves have broken each of these records in this semi-final series, showcasing their dominance. Additionally, in Game 1, they became the first team since 29th March 2024 to defeat the Nuggets at their home.
So, the wind now blows in favor of the Minnesota franchise as they look to make the most out of their home advantage in the upcoming two games. This provides Ant with a perfect opportunity to have his say on the series’ outcome. The 2x All-Star remains on the verge of making the unthinkable happen, with the NBA taking notice of his endeavors.
Tracy McGrady is not the only supporter of Anthony Edwards
Upon witnessing the playoff displays of Edwards, Jeff Teague shared a similar viewpoint on the Club 520 Podcast. The former Timberwolves player applauded the on and off-court actions of Ant while backing him to become the face of the NBA. In the process, he also expressed his regret for being unable to share the court with the youngster during his Minnesota days.
Outlining his inner feelings, Teague mentioned, “Oh, that n***a cold…AE the face of the NBA bro. He the one…Playing in Minnesota…we ain’t have them. They young and turn. I would have loved to have been with them, like they my type of guys…This n***a turnt. He want all the smoke”.
Thus, Edwards seemingly has the entire league rooting for him. On one hand, this heavily boosts his chances of actually becoming the next big thing in the NBA. On the other hand, this brings immense pressure on his shoulders.
Till now, he has been able to handle it well by constantly thriving under expectations. So, it will be interesting to see whether he can cope with the increasing demands around him.
