Noting Anthony Edwards’ Breakout Performance, Kevin Garnett Demands ‘Bad Motherf**ker Award’

The meteoric rise of Anthony Edwards this season continues to spark off-court conversations in the NBA. As a result, the 22-year-old recently became the center of a discussion between Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett. In the process, the latter took things up a notch, demanding the league to acknowledge Edwards’ endeavors by introducing an award.

In the latest episode of Ticket and the Truth, the 47-year-old outlined the presence of several game-defining stars in the NBA. Consequently, Garnett wanted the league to recognize those talismanic figures, announcing, “NBA need a BMF (Bad Motherf***er) Award…We got a couple of bad motherf***ers”.

Shortly after this, Pierce highlighted Edwards as the prime contender for this accolade. Without skipping a beat, KG sided with his co-panelist using The Truth’s comments. The 2008 champion mentioned, “Hands down. Absolutely. That’s what I’m saying. We need that type of award”.

The duo then engaged in a discussion to shed light on the fringe contenders for this award. Luka Dončić, Joel Embiid, Jaylen Brown, Jalen Brunson, and Jalen Green received much-deserved props from the NBA icons.

Despite their conversation’s underlying tone of mockery, this certainly posed a brilliant suggestion to the NBA. The league fails to acknowledge numerous outstanding performers each season due to its limited award categories. This season, for instance, Doncic’s 33.9 points, 9.8 assists, and 9.2 rebounds per game [as per StatMuse] failed to receive any acclaim as Nikola Jokić eclipsed him for the MVP award.

Over the years, the NBA has actively tried to mitigate this. For example, in 2022, they introduced the Jerry West Trophy to recognize the most clutch player of the regular season.

That said, a limited amount of awards makes the competition far more interesting. Beyond a certain point, securing these accolades comes down to consistency and mental fortitude. As a result, it pushes the contenders beyond their limits, aiding them in reaching new heights.

So, the recent comments from KG undoubtedly give the NBA something to think about. After all, with the popularity of the league on the rise, the fans may demand something different in the coming years.

Can the admiration of Kevin Garnett spark an innovation?

KG’s comments once again displayed his admiration for the competitive spirit of Edwards. Earlier this year, the 2004 MVP even compared the youngster to the rookie version of Michael Jordan. Expressing his stance in an All The Smoke episode, Garnett 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?”.

This sparked debates all around before Edwards added fuel to them. When Rachel Nichols brought up KG’s statement to Ant, the latter indirectly sided with the NBA icon. Adding volume to the comparison, the Georgia-born guard mentioned,

“That’s the OG man. Whatever he says, goes. So, anybody who wanna argue with him, you gotta take it up with Michael Jordan…I think he’s right, ‘84 Jordan. He didn’t say ‘96, or ‘97. ‘84, you know, he’s finding himself”.

Despite these staggering comments, Ant failed to secure a regular-season accolade. This could also be why KG demanded the NBA introduce such an award.

However, there remains a glaring possibility for Edwards to get his hands on an award. If the 2x All-Star can single-handedly spearhead a title win for the Minnesota Timberwolves, he is set to become the prime contender for the Finals MVP award. But, to reach there, the youngster must remain patient and focused, highlighting the importance of the process in securing accolades.