Anthony Edwards has been one of the most colorful superstars in the NBA since coming into the league through the Minnesota Timberwolves at the start of the decade.
As a magnet for trash talk, Edwards has heard some of the most raucous crowd reactions against opposing home teams throughout his NBA career so far.
On his YouTube channel, Edwards revealed the NBA arenas and crowds he loved playing in. Among them are the New York Knicks’ Madison Square Garden and the TD Garden of the Boston Celtics.
“Madison Square, TD Garden. New York, Boston, Philly, and Atlanta at home. But it’s hard to play in Madison Square Garden. Great place. It’s hard to play there, though. You got to be ready for [the fans]. Boston is the same way New York is. Like, fans talk crazy. Philly, too,” Edwards said.
While Madison Square Garden is revered like a cathedral, Boston’s TD Garden is widely acknowledged by players as one of the most punishing and aggressively hostile environments in the league
In anonymous player surveys conducted by The Athletic, TD Garden regularly claims the top spot for having the “best fans” for home-court advantage, yet it simultaneously runs away with the vote for the “most obnoxious” or rawest fan behavior because Boston crowds relentlessly cross the line into personal, loud, and unyielding heckling.
Anthony Edwards’ History Of Clashing With NBA Fans
In New York, following a preseason game at Madison Square Garden, a passionate Knicks fan tried to recruit the Minnesota Timberwolves star during a post-game jersey swap.
Edwards shut down the idea on the spot, telling the fan that he would never play for New York because the famously hostile crowd would instantly turn on him the moment he had a single bad game.
Meanwhile, his competitive banter involving Boston has centered around the Celtics’ former star duo, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. In the Netflix documentary Starting 5, Edwards boasted to his teammates about “locking up” Tatum and mocked anyone calling him the best player in the league.
He also routinely targets Boston crowds and players on the court.
Anthony Edwards Talks About Trash Talk And NBA Players’ Weaknesses
Anthony Edwards reflected on his willingness to talk trash with opponents, especially when he is having a bad game.
In the same YouTube video, Edwards also talked about other players’ inability to tal trash with other players.
“A lot of players don’t talk trash, but I do. If I’m scoring a lot of points, I’m talking crazy! They can’t guard me out here, man! Find somebody who can guard me! He ain’t it,” Edwards said. “I be talking a lot of trash. I talk trash for my teammates, too. If my teammate is having a good game, I’ll talk trash for him. I’ll be like, ‘Don’t say nothing, I got you!'”
Next season, following an offseason blockbuster trade that sent out Julius Randle and Naz Reid to acquire elite playmaker LaMelo Ball, Edwards slides back into his natural shooting guard position.
Pairing him with a capable point guard like Ball relieves Edwards of primary ball-handling duties, allowing him to hunt his shot and transition chances while flanked by high flyers like Jaden McDaniels and new signing Jonathan Kuminga.
That would possibly mean more trash talk for opponents from Anthony Edwards.
Trash-Talking Anthony Edwards Reveals Which NBA Arenas He Loves Playing In