The unmatched legacy left by Michael Jordan during his playing career has been compared with the generational talents who came after him in the NBA. The endless discussion regarding who would reach his level continues decades after his retirement. The player currently showing signs of being close to MJ is Minnesota Timberwolves‘ Anthony Edwards with his post-season masterclass. However, NBA analyst Charles Barkley seems to disagree with this buzz.
“America, please stop the Michael Jordan stuff. This guy’s had one good playoff run,” Barkley said. “I think he’s gonna be a great player, he’s a really nice kid, we root for him.” When co-host and NBA great Shaquille O’Neal asked whether the Wolves guard is close to Prime Jordan, Chuck instantly stated, “Hell, Nah,” and continued to say that he admires Edwards, but he is not close to the level of greatness His Airness was.
The 22-year-old has been phenomenal in this year’s playoff tournament for the Wolves, averaging 32.1 points per game. However, he has played 18 playoff games, which Barkley believes is too early compared to Jordan’s 179 appearances, where he averaged 33.4 points per game.
Edwards has surely displayed some Jordan-like moments, but he still has a long way to go compared with the Bulls’ legend who led the team to six championship trophies. With everyone else debating it, the budding star presented his views on the comparison.
Anthony Edwards on Michael Jordan Comparison
While the NBA community is going gaga over the skills of Anthony Edwards and comparing him with the legendary Michael Jordan, the 2-time All-Star doesn’t seem much interested in the comparison, and he made it clear in the interview with ESPN’s Malika Andrews.
Edwards feels he should be talked about as, “The first Anthony Edwards, not the next Michael Jordan.” He further added, “I want people to be like, ‘This Anthony Edwards kid, he’s got his own style, like, he’s maybe got a mix of Michael Jordan in him.’” Emphasizing a major difference between their playing style, the Ant-Man said, “I got a trey ball. … I can shoot the 3, so that makes me a little different than Michael Jordan.”
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Edwards focuses on defeating the Denver Nuggets in the semifinal series, which is currently at a 2-2 tie, and both teams would want to take the lead on Tuesday at the Ball Arena.
Also Read: “It’s on Me”: Anthony Edwards Shoulders Blame After Nuggets Cut Series Deficit With Game 3 Win
