Anthony Edwards is one of the most promising young stars in the NBA because he is an exciting talent and one of the most outspoken players in the league. He is not shy when making big plays on the court, and you should expect him to be the same when he is off the court.
Ant has come under fire for criticizing past generations of players . He asserted that Michael Jordan was the only skilled player during his generation, disregarding all the players he played with and against. That has led to some reactions, one coming from former Charlotte Hornets stalwart Muggsy Bogues .
“I believe every player who played on an NBA level believes they could play in any era. If they don’t think that way, they won’t even get to that era at all,” Muggsy said on The Mark Jackson Show. “They had to change the rules because of the skill set of certain individuals. That’s always gonna be the case. For Anthony Edwards to say that Michael was the only skilled player back in the ‘90s, that’s ridiculous. That’s not being a student of the game.
Edwards got backlash from the comments
In the past few weeks since he made that comment, Ant has received replies from past NBA players, but he also got comments from current players like Paul George. PG13 himself said that he found it to be an immature comment , considering that it was disrespectful to the players of that era and the entire sport.
The fundamentals of basketball have always been built by past generations. The 1980s and 1990s are some of the most influential years in NBA history, as seen with the rise of athletic wings taking over as Jordan, Dominique Wilkins and Clyde Drexler did. Even the three-point shot can find its roots during that era because they were the first generation of players to benefit from it.
There were plenty of talented and skilled players during MJ’s time in the spotlight. As Muggsy said, skills change as the game evolves.
Basketball has changed over the past three decades since MJ played in his prime, but that should not mean that players from the past are not talented because they could adjust to the modern game.
Muggsy thinks being a student of the game is vital for players
Edwards’ remarks also raised the topic of being a student of the game. Bogues said players must learn about the game to show respect to those who came before them.
Ant might be a bold player unafraid to speak his mind, but he might offend some players along the way. Those NBA stars from the past generation might have been staying quiet and supporting the current generation, but calling them untalented is not the way to go.
If Edwards wants to become a respected player by everyone, he should keep playing and improving. However, Ant must also respect the previous generation that paved the way for players like him to reach the pinnacle of basketball.
Related: "I would never discredit and undermine anyone who came before me" - DeMar DeRozan weighs in on Anthony Edwards' "No skill" comments
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