Anthony Edwards had a magnificent 2023/24 season as he led the Minnesota Timberwolves to the Western Conference Finals. The first overall pick from the 2020 NBA Draft embraced his role as the superstar on the Timberwolves as Karl-Anthony Towns took a step back and accepted a secondary role.
Ant delivered in his fourth season, as he had his best year as a professional with 25.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game. He secured his second All-Star Game appearance while earning a Second Team All-NBA nod. Ant has become Minnesota’s superstar and is the foundation for Team USA’s Olympic roster, which Shaquille O’Neal reflected on.
“Really far. I think if they continue to put the right pieces around him and he plays the way he plays, listen, the kid is a nice-looking kid, has a great personality, I know he’s gonna do work at the Olympics, just making a name for himself,” Shaq said on Point Game with CJ and John Wall. “They are already making comparisons, Jordan and D-Wade. I like the way this kid plays because he plays the right way, he plays hard, and he plays with that tenacity of a dog.”
Edwards is on the right path to superstardom
The 2023/24 season was superb for Ant due to his production, but it becomes more exciting when looking at his potential to become the next face of the NBA. He has all the characteristics superstars have with the on-court production, swagger, and overall personality.
Edwards’ star power can be seen in his style of play because he is an uber-athlete who can dunk on anyone in the paint. However, he has also worked hard to be a respectable shooter from the mid-range and beyond the arc. Ant has all the tools to become a superstar because of his bold play style and willingness to go toe-to-toe with the opposing star player.
It happened when Ant stood up to Kevin Durant and talked trash to him . It was a fantastic showing of how much Edwards believes in himself and how he could carry the Timberwolves in the long run.
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Shaq has been a big fan of Edwards for a long while
O’Neal has professed his love for Edwards because he sees plenty of potential in the Timberwolves star. He sees D-Wade in his game, which means a lot due to Shaq’s relationship with Wade for their 2006 championship.
When Shaq got asked about a modern-day player he would have loved to play with, Ant was his immediate answer .
“Anthony Edwards because he's a dog. When I get tired of posting you up and busting your a**, I do have some guard skills. I'll step up, bring Victor Wembanyama out with his long self, and just dump it down to Anthony Edwards," Shaq said on The Big Podcast.
With this kind of support from a legend like Shaq, it is easy to see why Edwards is getting hyped as the superstar of the future. The league is set to have more stars, with Edwards and Victor Wembanyama leading the way.
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