Michael Jordan offered a surprising look behind the scenes this week, revealing that the Timberwolves contacted him over the summer about Anthony Edwards. The focus was on how the young star handled double teams last season and the adjustments he needed to make. It was a rare glimpse into how even elite talents seek guidance from one of the game’s greatest.
“I had a conversation this summer with a high executive at Minnesota, and he was talking about Anthony Edwards. I heard during the course of the year that they were double-teaming (him). He didn’t know how to deal with the double team,” said Jordan on NBC Sports. “That’s the highest respect you can ever get if a team feels like they gotta double-team you. Now, how do you break the double team? Those are the types of conversations I try to have when players seek that information.”
Anthony Edwards is arguably one of the game’s best young players right now, but even he has trouble scoring over double teams. He has spoken out against the tactic before and even sought Jordan’s advice on how to deal with it.
While Michael is no longer active in the NBA, his dominance in the eighties and nineties (six-time champion, five-time MVP) set the standard for greatness at the shooting guard position. There was no defense he could not handle, and he always had an answer for everything thrown his way. It is part of the reason he averaged 30.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game on 44.5 percent shooting (29.1 percent from three).
Jordan’s comments shine a light on Edwards’ evolution and the Wolves’ efforts to keep pushing him forward. With Minnesota chasing another deep playoff run, every detail matters, and Edwards learning how to dictate those defensive matchups could be the difference between good and great.
Under Michael’s guidance, we have already seen tremendous growth from Ant, who is averaging 28.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game on 49.1 percent shooting (40.9 percent from three) for the Timberwolves this season. With Jordan’s help, he is maximizing his potential as a player as he tries to lift the Wolves to new heights in the West.
At 13-8 this season, Minnesota still has a long way to go, but Edwards learning how to operate around a double team would certainly help their chances in the West. Now it’s just a matter of putting in the work to improve his game.
As for Jordan, sharing his knowledge with the next generation is the best way to keep his legacy alive. As arguably the greatest player ever, he knows all the secrets of the craft and is happy to share his wisdom with anyone who will listen.
Edwards still has room to grow, but learning from someone like Jordan accelerates everything he is trying to build. Minnesota has placed its trust in him as the leader of this era, and moments like this show why. As long as he keeps applying the lessons passed down to him, the Wolves will remain a threat to push deeper into the playoff picture.
