Anthony Edwards, a player often associated with the word throwback, is a contemporary player that carries the swagger of ’90s NBA. He is physical up and down the court. He can shoot the three as well as anyone in the modern era, but he targets you like a demon from a time when basketball was a little bit more aggressive. It’s a widely known narrative that the 24-year-old phenom could have survived alongside Michael Jordan, and Kevin Garnett for one sees similarities.
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Ant has even been compared to His Airness several times throughout his career. And not just how he plays the game, but how he commands his presence on the hardwood. The Minnesota Timberwolves have gone further with Edwards the last two seasons than they had dating back to the Garnett days. He’s building a culture in Minnesota that is unmatched. Which is exactly why he’s drawing such praise from old b-ball heads.
Garnett loves Edwards and also sees shades of Gary Payton in him. The Big Ticket was asked about Edwards during a recent interview that was done in collaboration with his KG Certified podcast and the official Timberwolves YouTube channel and he didn’t hide his true feelings. He thinks the world of Edwards, and expressed how much fun it would have been to have him as a teammate in his prime.
“I like young fella. Young fella is a throwback,” began KG. “Young fella could have played in our time. Just because you have to be that type of dude. Matter of fact, Anthony Edwards reminds me of a lot of the guys…Gary Payton. AI. Steph. Name somebody. Everybody who you would name has an attitude like that. GP! Jordan!”
That’s the thing about Garnett. He wouldn’t lie about a player having attitude. He and Paul Pierce are so quick to mention how soft this current era of play style is. That’s what makes Ant stand out so much more. He’s a beacon that is connecting the old guard to the new wave of NBA superstars. He also took the time to reiterate how much of a killer Jordan was on the court.
“Everybody think Jordan this cool a** millionaire. Aight. He got that too,” joked Garnett, who added moments later the amount of hard work MJ and players like Edwards have to put in to gain that type of confidence. “You got to have an unbelievable confidence in what you’re doing. And I really feel like the work builds up that confidence.”
KG worked harder than anyone. He carried the Wolves on his back, and while he never got it done in Minnesota, his hard work was rewarded in 2009 with the Celtics. That could be the destined path for Ant. Maybe not with Boston, but if he doesn’t get it done for the Wolves walking in the same steps as the Big Ticket wouldn’t be shocking.
Regardless of whether he gets a ring or not, the NBA needs to lean into the fact that they have a player that could have traded jabs with Bird in the 80s, bumped elbows with Rodman or the Glove in the 90s, outlasted Duncan or Shaq in the 00s. The Ant Man is a basketball sensation. And getting KG’s stamp of approval only further cements his legacy.
