ONE OF A KIND
Anthony Edwards shuts down Michael Jordan comparisons with Minnesota Timberwolves star saying ‘I can shoot the three’
Edwards believes there are differences between himself and the Chicago Bulls legend
MINNESOTA Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards has shut down comparisons with NBA great Michael Jordan.
A two-time NBA All-Star, Edwards, 22, has recently drawn repeated comparisons with the Hall of Famer thanks to his career year.
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The 6-foot-4 guard, who is currently knee-deep in the Conference Semifinals, is fresh off an excellent regular season during which he averaged a career-best 25.9 points and 5.1 assists, along with 5.4 rebounds per game.
However, Edwards is clearly keen to forge his own legacy and not rely on comparisons to one of the game's all-time greats in Jordan.
He explained that he wants to be viewed as "the first Anthony Edwards, not the next Michael Jordan," when speaking to ESPN's Malika Andrews.
"I want people to be like, 'This Anthony Edwards kid, he's got his own style. He's maybe got a mix of Michael Jordan in him,'" he added.
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"But I've got a trey ball, I can shoot the three. So, I think that makes me a little different than Michael Jordan."
Edwards shot .357 percent on three-pointers this season, and during his four years in the NBA, has never averaged lower than .329.
By comparison, in 14 seasons, Jordan averaged .327.
While Edwards wants to be seen as his own man, comparisons with your predecessors are somewhat inevitable.
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Take Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic, for example, who has regularly been compared to fellow big man Shaquille O'Neal.
In fact, after Jokic was recently named the NBA MVP for a third time, O'Neal labeled his counterpart as the "vice president of the Big Man Alliance" on Inside The NBA - while he, of course, was the president.
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Jokic also came up when Edwards was asked about becoming the face of the NBA.
He explained he felt the Serbian is the current face of the league, alongside the likes of Luka Doncic, Jayson Tatum, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
When asked if he felt he was among that group at this time, Edwards said, "Not really, not yet. I don't think its time yet. But, eventually."
For the time being, however, the honor of being the league's representative worldwide belongs to Jokic as far as Edwards is concerned.
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"Nothing bothers him, or at least he doesn't show it," Edwards said of Jokic.
"I think it's hard to figure him out, and I know he comes to play every night.
"So if I don't come to play, we've got a chance to lose that game."
So far in their Playoff series against Jokic and the Nuggets, Edwards has certainly come out to play.
Minnesota took the lead in Game 1 with a narrow 106-99 win, before a statement 106-80 win two days later to extend their series lead.
Across those games, Edwards averaged 35 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 4.5 assists.
The Timberwolves will host the Nuggets on Friday before a potential series-clinching game on Sunday, also at the Target Center.
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Should Minnesota win, they would reach their first Conference Finals since the 2003-2004 season, when they lost to Kobe Bryant's Los Angeles Lakers.
In their 35-year history, the Timberwolves have yet to reach an NBA Final.
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