“They're treating him like, he's Tracy McGrady” - Gilbert Arenas on the media double standards, overlooking Anthony Edwards for NBA honors

anthony-edwards

Every time Anthony Edwards has stepped foot on the court this season, fans and media have consistently drawn parallels between his playing style and flair and that of Michael Jordan. Gilbert Arenas finds it strange that while Ant-Man is touted to be the next MJ and is believed to be the next face of the league, he has not been included in any NBA award discussions this season, despite him single-handedly transforming the Minnesota Timberwolves from a Play-In team to contenders for the No. 1 spot in the West without KAT by his side.

“With the No. 1 seed that’s coming to MJ,” Arenas said on his podcast. “Hey, how about MVP? Oh! No. No…. They’re treating him like, he’s Tracy McGrady. That’s not a bad thing but that’s not even…. If you’re gonna run a narrative, run a narrative that makes sense all the way through the game itself.”

Agent Zero’s observation is worth noting: whenever Edwards leads the Timberwolves to a win, the media immediately compares him to Jordan, acknowledging his ability to back up his talk with performance. However, amidst this praise, they overlook his career-high averages of 26.3 points and 5.2 assists per game, along with career-best shooting rates from the field and free-throw line.

These stats should be considered in MVP discussions, especially given Edwards’ role in guiding the Wolves to a 55-25 record while missing only 3 regular games, particularly during Towns’ absence in the second half.

Furthermore, even though the Timberwolves’ shooting guard isn’t at the top of any specific statistical category, he’s still among the higher-ranked players in multiple areas – ranking 11th in points per game, 8th in minutes played, 6th in free throws made this season, and is averaging the joint-7th best in steals per game.

Charles Barkley echoed the same sentiment as Arenas

In addition to the former Wizards player, Charles Barkley also contends that Edwards deserves recognition in the MVP conversation. The 61-year-old pointed out that the 2-time All-Star has maintained the Timberwolves’ playoff contention and impressively guided them toward a likely top 2 finish in the Western Conference.

“I would probably give him the slight edge because if they are able to finish with the best record without Karl-Anthony Towns,” Barkley said. “I think that’s pretty incredible.”

Edwards needs postseason success to announce himself

While former players may appreciate Ant’s determined efforts and impact on elevating the Timberwolves’ status this season, his true breakthrough in the NBA world depends on postseason success.

While his intensity for the Wolves’ pivotal game against the Denver Nuggets to determine the No. 1 seed in the WC, contrasting with Nikola Jokic’s, clearly demonstrated his seriousness as the season reaches its business end, if Edwards can guide the team past the first round in two decades or even past the second round, the media will surely recognize his impact as one of the best players more prominently.