"Sometimes it happens sooner than you're ready" - Bill Simmons wonders if Anthony Edwards is ready to lead the Wolves to a title
anthony-edwards
Anthony Edwards has a substantial case as the best player in the NBA this season. After leading the Minnesota Timberwolves to a first-round sweep of the star-studded Phoenix Suns, he has been outplaying Nikola Jokic in the conference semifinals to put his squad up 2-0 over the Denver Nuggets.
The young superstar’s performance in this year’s playoffs has a lot of pundits raving about what he has in store for the NBA world, not just this year but also beyond. Bill Simmons recently discussed on his podcast how special Edwards is, wondering if the 22-year-old already has what it takes to lead Minnesota to the championship.
“Yeah…sometimes it happens sooner than you’re ready, sooner than you think,” Simmons said if he thought about the possibility of Ant winning it all now. “That’s one of the great things about all these guys. We’re surprised by the age, but that’s really not a good reason to be surprised.”
Comparing Edwards to other legends
The former No. 1 pick has shown exceptional brilliance and athleticism and has coupled it with the belief that he is the best player in the world. As such, people see Michael Jordan in him, with even “His Airness” giving him the stamp of approval, according to Stephen A. Smith. Of course, there has been some pushback on that comparison, including from Edwards himself.
Interestingly, though, Ant is probably on his way to achieving a feat that Jordan was only able to do at 26 years old – reaching the conference finals for the first time.
Edwards has the Wolves up 2-0 versus Denver, thanks to his 43-point explosion in the series opener and a balanced effort on offense in Game 2. With the following two contests set to be played at Target Center, Minnesota sweeping the defending champion isn’t out of the picture.
According to Simmons, Ant’s exploits at such a young age have reminded him of Tiger Woods winning his first major at 21 and 19-year-old Wayne Gretzky securing the first of his eight NHL MVPs. The Ringer founder also mentioned LeBron James bringing a “G League team” to the NBA Finals at 23.
If the Nuggets pull off a miracle or the Wolves suddenly lose in the West Finals, Simmons’ take might age poorly. But if Edwards manages to lift the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy in June, Bill is ready to anoint him as the best under-30 NBA player. Keep in mind that the longtime writer shared his assertion before Minnesota’s Game 2 blowout.
Beating the Nuggets?
Unfortunately for Denver, there doesn’t seem to be any answer for Minnesota on either end of the floor.
The Wolves can throw a trio of bigs (Rudy Gobert, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Naz Reid) at presumptive three-time MVP Jokic night after night. In addition, their wing defenders (Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker) have made life difficult for Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. so far in the series.
Meanwhile, “Ant-Man” has looked unguardable against the Nuggets’ defense, scoring however he wants and involving his teammates if needed. Other players have also shown the ability to step up on offense, including Towns and the team’s reserves, which Draymond Green pointed out as the reason he thinks Minnesota will beat the Nuggets.
At the moment, the Wolves are looking like the favorites to come out on top of the West, thanks primarily to Edwards.