Ant Man Has Arrived
We are witnessing the start of a new NBA torch-bearer
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The Master & Apprentice
Before Leonardo da Vinci there was Andrea del Verrocchio. Verrocchio was a prominent artist, sculptor, and teacher during the Italian Renaissance. He trained numerous artists in various disciplines including painting, sculpture, and metalworking. Verrocchio's workshop attracted many aspiring artists, and among them was a young teenager named Leonardo da Vinci.
Leonardo worked on various projects under Verrocchio's supervision. One of the most famous collaborations between the two artists is the ‘Baptism of Christ,’ a painting completed around 1475 for the San Salvi Church in Florence.
Verrocchio's emphasis on naturalism, attention to detail, and mastery of light and shadows likely had a profound impact on Leonardo's approach to painting.
Despite their professional relationship, Leonardo's talent soon surpassed that of his mentor. He began to develop his own unique style and vision, eventually establishing himself as one of the most innovative and influential Renaissance artists.
Basketball is artistic in its own way. You can see the influence of former players in the game today. Michael Jordan influenced many players, but none more than Kobe Bryant. Watching Kobe was like watching the spitting image of His Airness.
No one’s game has come closer to Jordan than Kobe — until now, that is. Anthony Edwards has been mentioned in the same sentence as Jordan for some time.
While we remember Kobe's game mostly replicating the footwork, post moves, and shooting mechanics of Jordan, Anthony Edwards has been known for his explosiveness and jaw-dropping athleticism that resembled Jordan’s early career. With flashy dunks and gravity-defying acrobatics, Ant Man has the Jordan blueprint. But this year Edwards has also expanded his game to the mid-range, and he is looking more and more similar to the Jordan who dominated late in his career on his way to his second three-peat.
Kobe Bryant. Anthony Edwards. That’s it. No one else reminds us of Jordan’s greatness like these two.
With all the similarities, it’s interesting to hear Edwards talk about his game. He is very loud about the fact that Kevin Durant is his favorite player, which made the first-round playoff series between the Timberwolves and the Suns that much more intriguing. Edwards said he had watched almost all of Durant’s games since he was a kid. He is Edwards’ idol.
The 22-year-old Anthony Edwards was clearly the best player on the floor during the first-round sweep of the Suns. It felt like a torch-passing moment from Durant to Edwards. The master has now become the observer, similar to Verrocchio and da Vinci.
Sports are funny like that. One year, you are considered one of the best in the world. In the blink of an eye, a 22-year-old is dunking on your head and rightfully trash-talking all the way down the court.
Said Edwards, “It’s the best feeling in the world to send him [Durant] home.” Ant Man really does have that Jordan (with a baseball bat and cigar) mentality.
Anthony Edwards then showed that the first round was no coincidence by scoring 43 points in a win over the Denver Nuggets in Game 1 of the second round. He put on a show from start to finish, willing his team to victory over the defending champs.
Anthony Edwards said about Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who guarded him much of the game, “That’s my brother. That’s my big brother, for sure. And I’m trying to tear his head off.” Ant Man really does have that mamba mentality.
After the Suns were swept, Durant praised Edwards calling him his favorite player to watch. With one of Kevin Durant, LeBron James, and Steph Curry not making it to the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 2010, it feels like the next generation is ready to make the leap and Anthony Edwards has every right to run the league for years to come.
Family is Everything
Anthony Edwards had a goal of playing in the NBA from a young age. As a kid, he shared a bedroom with his siblings while being raised by his mother and grandma. As ESPN reported, one night he felt moved to take a Sharpie and write on the wall:
“Future McDonald’s All-American”
“Future NBA Player”
Initially, his grandma was angry when she saw what he had done, but she quickly reversed course and encouraged Edwards to work hard and follow his dreams.
Anthony Edwards was always raised to be a provider. He remembers his grandma telling him before his teenage years that one day he was going to have to take care of the family. His response was, “Nah grandma, we’re all going to take care of each other.”
Edwards has that same mentality today. Although he has clearly been handed the franchise reins, he is always quick to praise his teammates and coaches. He has a family-first attitude and always gives credit to those around him. Much of his humility probably originates from how he was raised.
With Edwards’ dad out of the picture, he relied on his mom, grandma, and older siblings. At the young age of 14, his mother became sick with cancer and passed away in January 2015. Only eight months later, his grandma also died from cancer. Edwards was left to be raised by his older siblings who were given legal custody of him.
Edwards’ older brother, nicknamed Bubba, remembers his younger brother’s expressionless face at their mom’s funeral. After the deaths of the two most important people in their life, Bubba remembers Edwards saying, “I’m going to make them proud.”
Even today, Edwards sometimes looks up old YouTube clips of him playing sports as a young boy. He’ll pause the video so he can see his mom and grandma in the crowd cheering him on. Edwards decided to wear number five because both his mom and grandma died on the fifth day of the month.
It was after these tragedies that he locked in. He quickly gained national attention in high school. He won a Georgia state championship his junior year and was ranked the #1 recruit in the nation according to 247Sports. In his senior year, he averaged 29 points, nine rebounds, and two assists per game. He was named an All-American and was invited to the McDonald’s All-American Game, just like he predicted in permanent ink years before.
Edwards was a consensus five-star recruit and ranked the best shooting guard in his class. He decided to stay close to home and committed to the University of Georgia.
Edwards’ brother Bubba deserves much of the credit for getting Ant Man through high school as the #1 recruit, let alone without any trouble. You see, basketball wasn’t even Edwards’ first sports love. He was an outstanding football player but decided to focus on basketball for two reasons: 1) He loved the feeling he got after dunking for the first time and 2) Bubba loved basketball. Said Edwards:
“I wasn’t really a basketball guy growing up, but watching him [Bubba], I decided to follow in his footsteps. If it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t be up here. I just want to thank him.”
After an up and down 16-16 season at Georgia, which was cut short because of COVID-19, Edwards declared for the NBA draft. He was drafted #1 overall by the Timberwolves and made an impact right away. He made his first All-Star appearance last year and made another one this year. Last summer, he signed a five-year extension that is worth up to $260 million.
When discussing his brothers’ success, Bubba told The Athletic:
“Chills, man. Just chills through my body. I just thank God. We just gotta keep our head down and keep working.”
Edwards has kept his head down. He continues to work and remembers the most important people in his life. His vibrant personality and clean image make him the perfect face of the NBA, and Adam Silver knows it. With Edwards ripping the paintbrush out of Kevin Durant’s grasp, Edwards now has full control over the way he decides to paint the NBA canvas.
Every Youtube channel that said the Gobert trade was the worst in NBA history needs to be banned as punishment. Actions must have consequences.