‘Luka Doncic Does It All Game!”: Anthony Edwards Lambasts NBA Refs For Calling Carry On His Dribble

Whether it’s admitted or not, fans and players both know that superstars in the NBA receive preferential treatment from officials. Anthony Edwards, frustrated after being called for a carry last night, poked at this phenomenon while arguing with a referee.

“Luka [Doncic] does it all game but you’re gonna call it on me? That’s crazy. That’s crazy. This is 2024,” Edwards yelled at the official during the game at Intuit Dome last night.

Carries are supposed to be called when a player’s hand goes below the ball during a live dribble, and since the 2000s, it has become quite prevalent in the NBA. With the game moving away from the paint and featuring more guard-dominant plays, referees have become conservative with the call as it would require them to put an end to an exciting possession.

This is the main reason why superstars get away with more violations; fans pay to watch them play and officials try not to get in the way of that. Edwards believed he deserved that treatment too. Though his Timberwolves would secure a dominant win against the Clippers, Edwards was still bothered by the biased whistleblowing.

And it’s hard not to sympathize with Edwards. Even during last night’s game against the Clippers, James Harden was visibly palming the ball immediately after Ant was called for the same violation.

To be fair, the Beard has always been a difficult player to referee. But the trend of ball-dominant guards receiving more leeway from the officials is one that started long ago, with a player named Allen Iverson.

AI was one of the first modern players to popularize flashy dribbles. His crossover was quick and deadly, and even DPOY’s like Michael Jordan routinely fell prey to it. However, many former players have criticized Iverson for the move and described it as a ‘blatant carry’.

In 1996, Iverson’s first season in the league, pundits were already complaining about how he was palming the ball in almost every game. But because of his rise to superstardom and how exciting it was to watch the 6-footer snatch his opponents’ ankles, the NBA decided to look the other way.

Even Steve Kerr, who played in the league before Iverson, and now coaches in the modern era, has pointed to the Answer as the turning point. “I mean, Allen Iverson changed the whole game with his crossover move because it was a blatant carry, but it was such an incredible move and so fun to watch that he changed the game with it,” the Warriors head coach explained in 2022.

Tim Hardaway, one of the pioneers of the crossover, has also touched on the matter. According to him, the NBA has been favoring its best players since long before Iverson. And continues to do so today.

“They let Magic Johnson get away with a double dribble. The referee called it sometimes. If you want to call a carry, Kevin Durant carries all the time. But they don’t call it because that’s his move,” the five-time All-Star said.

Perhaps as Anthony Edwards continues his dominance in the league, the officials will also begin to look the other way for him. However, he is just in his fourth NBA season, and it could take him a little bit longer to receive the same treatment as Doncic, Durant or Harden.