Since Michael Jordan’s retirement, many have tried to emulate his greatness, but only a few have come close. However, there’s a growing belief that Anthony Edwards could be the latest to join this exclusive group.
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Jordan McLaughlin fueled this discussion further by pointing to the similarities between MJ and Ant.
The Sacramento Kings guard built upon his former teammate Jaden McDaniels’ comments about the parallels between the shooting guards from different eras. After the latter made headlines in April by stating, “He [Anthony Edwards] is like Michael Jordan,” McLaughlin agreed with this observation.
He subsequently expanded on this narrative during his appearance on FanDuel TV. The former Minnesota Timberwolves star initially discussed Ant’s competitive mindset to reinforce McDaniels’ statement.
Furthermore, he talked about the similarities in their gameplay, mentioning,
“Yeah, I definitely agree with that. The things he [Anthony Edwards] does… His work ethic. When he is working out, he is always competing… And then when you see him in the post, and he hits his little shimmy fade away… it all emulates [Michael] Jordan, for sure”.
"When you see [Anthony Edwards] in the post, and he hits his little shimmy fadeaway… it all emulates Jordan." 👀
Jordan McLaughlin sees the comparisons between Michael Jordan and Anthony Edwards@itsmclaughlin11 | @theantedwards_ | @ChandlerParsonspic.twitter.com/vlzLnTT6uG
— FanDuel TV (@FanDuelTV) August 12, 2024
Given Edwards‘ style of play, it remained tough to argue with this justification. After all, the 23-year-old’s mid-range shooting form became reminiscent of MJ’s. The Timberwolves youngster’s post-move, in particular, reminded seasoned NBA fans of Jordan’s unstoppable fadeaway jumper.
Moreover, the similarities in their mindset became evident in their numbers. Last season, for instance, he recorded 25.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 5.1 assists, leading the Timberwolves to its first-ever conference finals appearance in two decades.
Consequently, many argued that Ant had reached the level of a younger Michael Jordan, with Kevin Garnett being one of the first to voice this comparison. On the All The Smoke podcast show in early February 2024, KG declared,
“He’s like a young ’84 Jordan, boy. You hear me? If [forward Karl-Anthony Towns] weren’t on his team, he’d be averaging 30-something points per game. You hear what I’m saying to you?”.
“Edwards is lke 84' Jordan.” @KevinGarnett5KG with HIGH PRAISE for Anthony Edwards 😳
Tap In: https://t.co/Rh8z0kmQaX#NBA #NBATradeDeadline pic.twitter.com/44ZEG7tlwO
— All the Smoke Productions (@allthesmokeprod) February 8, 2024
These comments sparked widespread debates, with many agreeing with Garnett’s comparison. The conversation reached a new high when NBA analyst Chris Broussard claimed that even MJ supported this narrative. In late March, Broussard announced on First Things First,
“I reached out to the GOAT today, Michael Jordan. And Jordan said there are similarities in their games. He agreed. So, if Jordan says there are similarities, there are similarities”.
All these discussions undoubtedly added pressure to Edwards’ shoulders. However, to cement his place as an all-time great, the Timberwolves talisman must go through this to make a name for himself. Until then, fans would keep a close eye on him as the league waits for its next global star.
