Draymond Green says Anthony Edwards is straight-up fooling everyone: "Ant thinks he's the best player in the world"
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The NBA Playoffs are as much a test of mental fortitude as physical skill. With stakes at their highest, players want to acquire every edge. Take an inch and turn it into a mile. And for Draymond Green, that means getting inside the heads of his opponents.
According to the former Defensive Player of the Year winner, Minnesota Timberwolves superstar Anthony Edwards is one player showing a lot of savvy this postseason.
At just 22 years old, Edwards already displays a level of gamesmanship that belies his age. He’s been quick to credit the Denver Nuggets, particularly Nikola Jokic, whom he’s dubbed the best player in the world. But Draymond, one of the NBA’s most brilliant minds, suspects there’s more to Edwards’ words than meets the eye. He believes that Edwards, deep down, truly sees himself as the best in the business, not Jokic.
Playing mind games
Speaking on the latest episode of “The Draymond Green Show,” the Golden State Warriors forward shared his observations of the explosive 6-foot-4 wingman. While Edwards’s supreme athleticism is evident, what lies beneath is a fire stoked by his innate desire to be the best.
“He’s hungry as hell, and he believes that he’s the best, and he wants to be the best,” Dray shared. “He knows how to play the game. I mean, to play the game, this dude going up in these press conferences during this series, like, ‘You know, Joker’s the best player in the world.’ And he thinks he’s the best player in the world. I ain’t hearing none of that.”
Edwards is a playful guy who likes to go back and forth with opponents willing to banter. But so far, he has let his play do all the talking, averaging 35.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game to push the Timberwolves to a commanding 2-0 lead over the reigning NBA champions.
Backing his belief up
As talented and skilled as Ant is, Draymond says his unwavering self-belief ultimately propels him to success. Whether his shot is on target or not, he never loses focus and looks for the next opportunity to influence his team’s chances of winning.
“He 100% believes that he’s the best player in the world. And if you don’t believe he 100% believes that he’s the best player in the world, all you got to do is watch him play. He’s playing like he believes he’s the best player in the world,” the Dubs’ versatile forward remarked.
Green added that what’s captivating is that Ant has been prophesying about his future impact on the league for a while now. It wasn’t long ago that Edwards proclaimed he would dominate the league in two to three years and that he had only tapped into 40 percent of his potential.
“While all along, all this year, he’s told y’all what he thinks of himself since he came into the league. He’s been telling so, it is very evident that he believes that,” the fiery and controversial power forward quipped.
The Ant-Man takeover is in full effect. While Minnesota is up 2-0 on the Nuggets, the defending champions won’t likely go out without a proper fight. And chances are, it will be up to Edwards whether the T-Wolves’ magical march through this season continues or ends.