As Minnesota Timberwolves superstar Anthony Edwards lit up the defending champion Denver Nuggets in the first game of the Western Conference semifinals, fans across social media continued to compare him to Michael Jordan.
While Edwards hears those comparisons and appreciates them, he told Fox Sports that he wants the comparisons to end.
“I want it to stop,” the 22-year-old Edwards told FOX Sports. “He’s the greatest of all time. I can’t be compared to him.”
Although Edwards wants the comparisons to stop, his level of play at such a young age is strikingly similar to Jordan’s early in his career. It’s not only fans who see the similarities, but players as well. Edwards’ teammate Mike Conley spoke on TNT about Edwards and how he sees his game:
Timberwolves legend Kevin Garnett also sees the comparisons as valid, specifically comparing Edwards to the 1984 version of Jordan.
It’s impossible to go on social media these days without seeing Edwards compared to MJ:
Anthony Edwards and Michael Jordan by the numbers through their first 16 career playoff games
Ant: MJ:
29.8 PPG 38.1 PPG
5.6 RPG 6.3 RPG
4.5 APG 6.2 APG
49% FG 49% FG
8-8 record… pic.twitter.com/YXJOYGcd75— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 6, 2024
While there are some valid aspects to the comp, especially on the front of playing style and explosion at such a young age, it shows an incredible amount of humility by Edwards to turn down the comparisons to Jordan. If I were an NBA player that was just compared to one of the greatest basketball players to ever play the game, I would never let anyone hear the end of it. However, for Edwards to say that he can’t be compared to someone who is considered to be the greatest of all time, it shows a great amount of reverence and respect for Jordan and the impact he had on the sport.
That won’t stop the photo collages, however.