In a sit down with reporters for NBA media day, Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards made his picks for a series of hypothetical one-on-one matchups between basketball legends. While some answers came naturally for the young star, other picks took more time to think about.
Interviewer: “Who would win 1-on-1 in their prime? [Chris Paul or Rajon Rondo]?”
Anthony Edwards: “Rondo.”
Interviewer: “[Carmelo Anthony vs. Kevin Durant].”
Anthony Edwards: “KD.”
Interviewer: “[Luka Doncic vs. Larry Bird].”
Anthony Edwards: “Luka.”
Edwards, 23, grew up watching legends like LeBron James and Stephen Curry through the 2010s. But he’s also studied players like Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade to incorporate some of their moves into his own game.
In a one-on-one setting, it can be hard to make any concrete predictions but Ant is a student of the game and he knows what works and what doesn’t. With no teammates to turn to, players must rely on their own wit and skills to create a clean look and beat the defender in isolation.
Of course, Edwards doesn’t count as unbiased and he has his personal preferences just like everyone else. But without a proper team, Edwards may not be wrong to think that someone like Rajon Rondo would win against Chris Paul due to his strength, speed, and superior athleticism. We’ll never get to see it for ourselves, but the former guards did have a few clashes in the day and Rondo always gave Paul a serious run for his money.
In the case of Kevin Durant vs Carmelo Anthony, we know that Edwards has great respect for both players but he’s already been clear about his view that Durant is his personal NBA GOAT. So after getting to know Durant at the Paris Olympic Games this summer, there was no way that Edwards was going to pick against him in this discussion. Since the guy can make shots from anywhere in myriads of ways, it would be hard for anyone to pick against him, even over a historically great scorer like Carmelo Anthony.
Luka Doncic vs Larry Bird is arguably the most debatable among the matchups here but it’s not surprising that Edwards would side with the more modern player. In his view, after all, Michael Jordan was one of the only pre-2000s NBA athletes with elite skill, and everyone else was just not on the same level.
Naturally, the matchups will always remain hypothetical but it’s interesting to see how Edwards thinks of them. This upcoming season, his fifth, Edwards will look to generate a new conversation by leading the Timberwolves to the depths of the NBA playoffs.
Just like Durant, Bird, and Luka Doncic, Anthony Edwards is facing all the pressure to rise to the occasion all eyes will be on him to take up his place as the NBA’s next generational talent. Soon, he may join the ranks of Anthony, Durant, and others in NBA history but for now, his only focus is on the season ahead and finding a way to maximize everyone on the roster.
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