“I Expect Him To Think That”: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Refuses To Go At Anthony Edwards For Believing He’s The Best

The NBA is witnessing a major shift of generations as young stars have emerged to replace the likes of LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant who have dominated the game for over a decade. This young crop of players is confident, bold, and not afraid of anyone. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Anthony Edwards are two such players who have taken their team to the top of the Western Conference standings with that exact mentality. As a product of this, in a recent interview with ESPN, Edwards mentioned thinking he is the best player in the league, to which Gilgeous-Alexander elected to respond maturely.

The Minnesota Timberwolves have the best Western Conference record and one can debate who the best player in the team is but it certainly seems to be Anthony Edwards. During an interview with Stephen A. Smith, Edwards was asked, “How do you think you specifically, measure up against those two [Luka and Shai]?”The young star responded, “I feel like I am the better player. 100 percent.”

The comments by Edwards showcase his confidence in his abilities and belief to take on the best. His opponent Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was asked about his comments and had no problem with the Minnesota player’s declaration. In fact, he admired Edward’s confidence and felt he had the right attitude. The Oklahoma City Thunder player said in an interview with ESPN, “I expect him to say that. I wouldn’t expect him to say one of us is better than him. The thing about NBA players, especially guys that are ‘that’ talented, is that we all believe we are the best. We all believe what we bring to the table is special and unique. And, he has every right to think so.”

That was a very mature response from someone who is still a young player. Later, when the reporter asked Shai where he believes he ranks among the three stars, he was as confident as his rival about his own ability and called himself the best. Both these stars are having career-best seasons with their respective teams while Gilgeous-Alexander is in the race to win the Most Valuable Player award. It would be interesting to see if their game translates to the post-season where they lack experience.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Anthony Edwards are confident

As fans of the younger generation, no one should expect anything less from these players. They need to have a sense of pride in their abilities and cannot get bogged down by the achievements of their predecessors. Anthony Edwards has the utmost confidence in his abilities. So much so that he even put himself in his All-Time NBA starting five over the greatest player of all time – Michael Jordan.

This attitude by the Minnesota player is nothing new. He entered the league with such brashness and we have loved him for it. In an interview as a rookie, the 2020 number one overall pick was asked about his ability to play multiple sports and he had the most iconic response. He said, “Whatever you need me to play, I am going to go do it. If there is money on the line, I am going to go do it. [Can you golf?] Whatever you need me to do. [Hockey?] Whatever! Whatever you need me to do, it ain’t matter.”

We should have known that Edwards was going to be a star just based on his irrational confidence. The player has supreme athletic abilities and has started to figure out the speed of an NBA game. He looks calm and collected on the floor and is not shy of the biggest moments. The other young stars like Luka Doncic and Shai-Gilgeous Alexander have the same demeanor about them, and it’s safe to say that the league is in capable hands.