The Ascendance of Anthony Edwards
Posted: Fri Mar 08, 2024 4:46 pm
I believe this deserves a thread. I hope I don't bring too much hyperbole to this discussion, but I'm feeling different about Ant today.
Many of us have had our frustrations with Ant from time to time, myself included. We've been critical of his play in the clutch and his decision making at critical times. But what we saw last night should get every Wolves fan thinking that maybe we can have nice things. Now it was just one game, but consider:
- Who has a greater competitive mindset than Ant today? He believes he can become and wants to be the best. And his effort is almost unparalleled.
- Look at the front runners for MVP. You've got Joker, Giannis, Luka, maybe Shai and Tatum. Do any of those guys possess the 2-way ability that Ant does? Maybe Giannis but not as a shooter.
- Look at what happened during the game last night. First he sprains his ankle that forces him to the locker room. Did anybody doubt that he would come back? Of course not. Then he falls flat on his back from 6' in the air while trying to protect his ankle. Again he has to leave the court. And of course he comes back again. Then he puts the entire team on his back and wills us into a close game down the stretch.
- And then he completely dominates the last 71 seconds of the game, making shot after shot, and then culminating in the ridiculous block that wins the game.
- He hits his head on the rim while he is still rising, and the only thing preventing him from the top of the backboard was the backboard itself. And don't forget, he did this with a sprained ankle and what must have been a sore back.
Here is my point: When you combine the physical gifts with the tenacity, the competitiveness, the will to win, and the effort on both ends, you have the closest thing to Jordan we have ever seen. Would you trade him for anyone but maybe Joker? Now that he has done what he did last night, he might ascend to the next level, whatever that is. It sucks to lose KAT for a few weeks, but Wolves fan can take heart. If you're honest with yourself, Ant is the best one on one basketball player in the world right now and he's only 22. He's better than all of them because along with all the special traits I mentioned above, he's simply the best athlete. And when he wants to turn it on, there is nobody that can play with him.
The playoffs are going to be his coming out party this year. He's going to do things that no one has seen since Michael. And on those closing possessions when he's matched up against Murray or Tatum, he's going to win those encounters. I don't care how well someone else is playing, NO one can reach the level of play Ant can. They just don't have the same gifts and fire that he does. Sit back and enjoy guys.
Many of us have had our frustrations with Ant from time to time, myself included. We've been critical of his play in the clutch and his decision making at critical times. But what we saw last night should get every Wolves fan thinking that maybe we can have nice things. Now it was just one game, but consider:
- Who has a greater competitive mindset than Ant today? He believes he can become and wants to be the best. And his effort is almost unparalleled.
- Look at the front runners for MVP. You've got Joker, Giannis, Luka, maybe Shai and Tatum. Do any of those guys possess the 2-way ability that Ant does? Maybe Giannis but not as a shooter.
- Look at what happened during the game last night. First he sprains his ankle that forces him to the locker room. Did anybody doubt that he would come back? Of course not. Then he falls flat on his back from 6' in the air while trying to protect his ankle. Again he has to leave the court. And of course he comes back again. Then he puts the entire team on his back and wills us into a close game down the stretch.
- And then he completely dominates the last 71 seconds of the game, making shot after shot, and then culminating in the ridiculous block that wins the game.
- He hits his head on the rim while he is still rising, and the only thing preventing him from the top of the backboard was the backboard itself. And don't forget, he did this with a sprained ankle and what must have been a sore back.
Here is my point: When you combine the physical gifts with the tenacity, the competitiveness, the will to win, and the effort on both ends, you have the closest thing to Jordan we have ever seen. Would you trade him for anyone but maybe Joker? Now that he has done what he did last night, he might ascend to the next level, whatever that is. It sucks to lose KAT for a few weeks, but Wolves fan can take heart. If you're honest with yourself, Ant is the best one on one basketball player in the world right now and he's only 22. He's better than all of them because along with all the special traits I mentioned above, he's simply the best athlete. And when he wants to turn it on, there is nobody that can play with him.
The playoffs are going to be his coming out party this year. He's going to do things that no one has seen since Michael. And on those closing possessions when he's matched up against Murray or Tatum, he's going to win those encounters. I don't care how well someone else is playing, NO one can reach the level of play Ant can. They just don't have the same gifts and fire that he does. Sit back and enjoy guys.
