Georgia basketball’s golden boy in the NBA is playing, well… golden. In the first round of the NBA playoffs, Anthony Edwards has been nothing short of amazing, and tonight, he has the chance to end the No. 3 seed Lakers’ season in Los Angeles.
Three-seeded LA is star-studded with the all-time points leader in LeBron James and young star, Luka Dončić… But “the new face of the NBA” resides in Minneapolis.
“He’s not only smoking Luka,” said Stephen A. Smith on ESPN’s First Take. “He’s smoking LeBron too… The best player in this series with LeBron and Luka on the basketball court is a 23-year old with a $200+ million contract playing like he’s broke.”
“Ant-Man,” as he is commonly referred to, dropped 43 points in the Timberwolves/Lakers battle on Sunday night, leading Minnesota to a 116-113 comeback win. The Timberwolves hold a 3-1 series lead over LA following Sunday night’s performance.
“I do not look up to anybody in the league right now,” said Edwards in the new docuseries Starting Five. “Currently, not at all. Not in the slightest.”
Ant-Man is his own man on a mission, trying to dethrone the King and take his rightful place as the next face of the NBA.
We all remember Ant-Man in Athens. He was a stud; he didn’t have the team around him to make any sort of postseason run, but if I were to tell you in 2019, “Anthony Edwards will be the future No. 1 overall pick. And, he will be the next face of the NBA.” What would you have said?
The No. 1 overall pick was a no-brainer. Come NBA Draft, the scouts saw the tape; they witnessed Edwards drop 19.1 points per game; they noticed the windmill, posterizing dunks. He was the undisputed best player entering the draft, but could he really become the next future of the league?
Despite all the flash in his one season at Georgia, questions loomed: Was he mature enough? Would his skillset translate to the NBA? Would his lack of development in Athens show at the next level?
Needless to say, Ant-Man proved them wrong.
The year prior, a young prospect in Zion Williamson was drafted No. 1 overall to the New Orleans Pelicans. The Duke star was labeled the best prospect since LeBron. He was the heir to “King James’” throne. He was supposed to be the next face of the NBA.
Then, Luka came… the next Dirk Nowitzki. Oh, and he went to the Dallas Mavericks. Oh, and he beat Ant-Man in the Western Conference Finals last year. He was supposed to be the best player from Europe ever. He was supposed to be the next face of the NBA.
Then, Victor Wembanyama… the French star and No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. He was supposed to be the next best defender in the Association. He was supposed to be the next face of the NBA.
“If there was somebody on the floor that I felt was in better condition or was better fit for the moment than me, then I could possibly sit down for a little longer,” said LeBron in Starting Five. “I have not seen that yet.”
Think again… Anthony Edwards has made his moment. He’s arrived. He is the heir-apparent to LeBron’s throne. He is the new face of the NBA.
The Atlanta native went to little ole Georgia and made a name for himself. The next face of the NBA is a Dawg, and he’s here to show you.