Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards has been compared to NBA legend and Chicago Bulls alum Michael Jordan. His skill set and body type are reminiscent of Jordan’s, which warrants the comparisons.
Edwards himself is aware of the comparisons. In a May 6 story with FOX Sports’ Melissa Rohlin, Edwards gave his honest thoughts on being compared to Jordan.
“I want it to stop,” he told Rohlin. “He’s the greatest of all time. I can’t be compared to him.”
Despite the talent, the comparison is premature since Edwards has not sniffed the same success Jordan did during his heyday. Jordan won five Most Valuable Player awards and six NBA titles. At the same time, he did not win a championship until he was 28. Edwards is 22 years old and just came off his first playoff series win. He has plenty of time, though.
However, the comparison proves how exciting Edwards is as a player. Edwards just led the Timberwolves to their first playoff series win since 2004—their first playoff victory since they had Kevin Garnett in his prime. Now, they had a very impressive playoff victory over the reigning NBA Champion, the Denver Nuggets, on their home floor.
If Edwards guides the Timberwolves to multiple titles, then the comparison will likely gain more steam.
Anthony Edwards Named Among First-Round MVPs
For his performance against the Phoenix Suns, NBA.com’s Michael C. Wright named Edwards as the Most Valuable Player of the Timberwolves first-round series.
Wright explained why he picked Edwards in a May 6 story.
“Edwards averaged a career-high 25.9 points in the regular season with 5.1 assists and 5.4 rebounds. The 22-year-old then cranked up his production in the first round. Against the Suns, Edwards averaged 31 points, 8 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 2 steals in leading Minnesota’s sweep of veteran-laden Phoenix. Along the way, we saw some viral moments from a player TNT’s Charles Barkley called “a dog” (in a good way).”
Wright also explained why he had Karl-Anthony Towns as the runner-up.
“Towns had nothing but praise for his superstar teammate. Still, he deserves a shoutout, too, for his 19.3 ppg effort in the series shortly after returning from a one-month hiatus (knee).”
Edwards lived up to his billing in Game 1 against the Nuggets. In their win, Edwards put up 43 points on 17-for-29 shooting. A playoff career-high for him.
Mike Conley on Anthony Edwards-MJ Comparison
Though Edwards frowns upon the comparison, Mike Conley entertained why he’s being compared to the basketball icon.
“Obviously, they have a lot of the same mannerisms,” Conley told Rohlin. “The moves, the fadeaways, the athleticism, the poster dunks, the blocks, the defensive stuff that he does. But really, just his drive is kinda the main thing. That same kind of work ethic, that same kind of ‘I don’t sleep at all at night because I’m ready to play, I’m ready to hoop.'”
Conley has played with some great talent over the years. Pau Gasol, Marc Gasol, Zach Randolph, Donovan Mitchell, and Rudy Gobert, to name a few outside of the Timberwolves. As one of the oldest players in the NBA, Conley hadn’t played with a player like Edwards before Minnesota acquired him in 2023.
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Anthony Edwards Sends Strong Message on Michael Jordan Comparisons