Anthony Edwards’ comparisons to NBA legend Michael Jordan have taken new heights in the playoffs — as displayed by his production on the hardwood.
The former Georgia basketball star’s breakout scoring in the postseason this year — highlighted by his five games of at least 30 points — has helped the Minnesota Timberwolves advance to the Western Conference Finals for the first time in 20 years. The T-Wolves have taken down both Kevin Durant’s Phoenix Suns and Nikola Jokic’s Denver Nuggets.
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During an appearance on ESPN’s Monday episode of “Get Up,” ESPN NBA insider Brian Windhorst added to those comparisons, referencing Edwards’ performance this postseason to Jordan in 1988 with the Chicago Bulls.
“Whenever you compare him (Edwards) to Jordan, you have to frame it with the age. Jordan didn’t win a playoff series until he was age 25. We’re not talking about 1991 Michael Jordan. Ant Edwards is like 1988 Michael Jordan, when Larry Bird and Magic Johnson and the Pistons were still dominating the league,” Windhorst said.
“That’s why we’re excited about him. We’re not just excited about him now, we’re excited about where he can be in two or three years. He is on that process and on that timeline. And he’s doing it very quickly at age 22. It is all of those things.”
The numbers are there to back up Windhort’s comparison. Edwards is averaging 28.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 1.7 steals per game this playoffs for the Timberwolves. In Minnesota’s 4-3 series win vs. Denver in the Western Conference semifinals, Edwards averaged 27.7 points on 50% shooting alone.
Despite all the statistics backing up the reasonings and cases for the comparison, Edwards said last week that he wants all comparisons to Jordan shut down.
“I want it to stop,” Edwards told Fox Sports’ Melissa Ruhlin. “He’s the greatest of all time. I can’t be compared to him.”
Former Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, who coached Jordan on the 1992 USA Basketball Olympic “Dream Team,” also commented on the comparison of Edwards to the six-time NBA champion last week ahead of an event for the V Foundation. Krzyzewski echoed Edwards’ comments that comparisons to Jordan are a bit premature:
“The emergence of Anthony Edwards, everyone knew he was really good, but the playoffs give opportunities for players to get to another level, if they can get to another level,” Krzyzewski said (via CBS Sports). “That’s what has happened with Edwards. He shined. Not just shined but he has been amazing
“People should just slow down comparisons. Jordan is as good as anyone who has ever played, Anthony Edwards is 23 years old. Michael Jordan did it his entire career. Jordan is bigger and a little bit longer. But in this day and age, Edwards has a chance to be that perimeter superstar.”
Edwards, who was taken No. 1 overall out of Georgia in the 2020 NBA Draft by the Timberwolves, is enjoying per-game career highs in field goal percentage (46.1%) along with points (25.9) and assists (5.1) this year with Minnesota.
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