There’s been a lot of digital ink spilled, especially in the last year or so, over who the best player in the NBA is. That discussion has mostly centered around last year’s top two MVP finishers, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic, but really, it’s far from a two-horse race. The league is absolutely overflowing with top talent right now, and with Shai and the Joker having endured injuries this year, it’s been a reminder not to forget about everyone else.
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If it’s not one of those guys, then who is it? Victor Wembanyama looms over the discussion both literally and figuratively, and with how dangerous he and his Spurs look, he has as strong a case as anyone. So too does Cade Cunningham for the way he’s continued to improve, especially as he’s carried the Pistons to the top of the East.
Carmelo Anthony chimed in on last night’s 7PM in Brooklyn, and he made some great points.
“I think Ant Edwards is the best player in the NBA,” he said. “I just think he brings everything. He brings the intellect, he takes on the challenge, his stats speak for itself. Getting his team as a young player to multiple Western Conference Finals and still developing. His peers are saying this, I’m not just going on a limb, his peers are saying Ant Edwards is the guy right now.”
Melo acknowledged that there are plenty of other guys who deserve to be mentioned, such as Cade, Jaylen Brown and Donovan Mitchell, but ultimately, he couldn’t ignore the total package that Edwards brings to the table.
“I hate to say who’s the best out of all of that, but if you have to look at a trajectory, what’s the energy, the it factor, everything, the early success, winning, carrying the organization, dealing with different trades, you know what I mean? I would have to say he is that.”
In baseball, they talk about five-tool players, guys who do everything well. That’s what Edwards is on and off the court. He’s as athletic as anyone in the league, regularly posturizing guys with his epic dunks. He’s a phenomenal shooter. He’s ultra-competitive and loves to guard the opposing team’s best player, something that can’t be said of someone like Jokic.
Edwards is also the most charismatic guy in the league, something that really stands out next to the workman-like Shai, and nobody has been more clutch all year.
The Wolves are heating up, and Edwards is the biggest reason why. They’re currently on a five-game winning streak that has propelled them up to third in the West, and in those games, Edwards is scoring 29.8 points per game, which is just a hair above his season average (which itself is the third-best number in the league).
When you talk about the best players in the league, you want someone who isn’t afraid of showing off his skill set. Edwards talks the talk, and he walks the walk. He threw down a vicious dunk on RJ Barrett in last night’s win over the Raptors, and probably already figuring out who he’ll victimize on the Magic tomorrow night.
Edwards is also only 24, so the scary thing is that he’s only going to continue to improve. If Melo isn’t right already, then he probably will be soon.
