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Anthony Edwards has drawn some Michael Jordan comparisons over the last several weeks, and the Minnesota Timberwolves star appears to have had enough.
“I just want them to stop,” Edwards said while speaking with Speedy Morman of Complex. “Because he’s the greatest to ever play basketball and I’m so far from it.”
However, when asked if he believed Jordan could guard him in today’s NBA, Edwards responded, “Hell nah. No.”
The Jordan comparisons for Edwards began to heat up in November when an anonymous NBA scout told ESPN’s Tim MacMahon that the 2020 first overall pick is “the next Michael Jordan.”
Philadelphia 76ers veteran Patrick Beverley also compared Edwards to Jordan while speaking with the media last month.
“I told everyone from the beginning. [Edwards] has a chance to be Michael Jordan,” Beverley said. “People looked at me like I was crazy.”
Beverley previously compared Edwards to Jordan during an appearance on JJ Redick’s The Old Man and the Three podcast in 2022, saying that he told the Timberwolves star he “got a chance” to be Jordan.
Edwards is in the midst of an impressive season with the Timberwolves, averaging 24.4 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.8 assists in 19 games while shooting 45.2 percent from the floor and 37.8 percent from deep.
While Edwards has been strong on the offensive end, his defensive prowess mimics that of Jordan. The rising star continuously takes on the toughest players to defend, locking them up and making it difficult to score.
Thanks to a combination of Edwards and the likes of Rudy Gobert, the Timberwolves have been the NBA’s best defensive team this season. Minnesota boasts the league’s best defensive rating at 106.8.
In part thanks to Edwards, Minnesota could put together one of its best seasons in more than a decade. The Timberwolves are currently first in the Western Conference with a 17-5 record and are looking like a real threat for the NBA title.
However, the Jordan comparisons might be a stretch at this point in Edwards’ career, and he’s likely going to have to reach another level if he truly hopes to be the next MJ.