Put a microphone in front of Anthony Edwards and you’re almost guaranteed to get a memorable soundbite.

The Minnesota Timberwolves superstar has developed a reputation for making bold — and sometimes outlandish — claims about himself, teammates and opponents.

Four years into his promising NBA career, he’s backed up his talk with breathtaking displays of athleticism and shot-making, emerging as one of the faces of the league’s next generation of stars.

Edwards has even drawn comparisons to the GOAT, Michael Jordan , for the similarities in their style of play, as well as the competitive edge they both bring to the court.

But as we’ve come to expect, the 23-year-old couldn’t help but get a dig in — however subtle it may be — at Jordan, claiming in a recent interview with the Wall Street Journal that the hoops icon was the only skilled player in the NBA in his era.

“I didn’t watch it back in the day so I can’t speak on it. They say it was tougher back then than it is now, but I don’t think anybody had skill back then. [Michael Jordan] was the only one that really had skill, you know what I mean?”

The 1980s and 1990s were known to be the most physical eras in NBA history, and while there’s no way to accurately gauge the skill level of the average player in the league at any point, it’s safe to say the talent in today’s NBA is unlike anything the sport has seen before.

Cue the outrage from nostalgic NBA fans.

Is Edwards the Next Jordan?

T’Wolves star eerily similar to NBA icon

As it’s become clear that Edwards is poised for superstardom and years of NBA success, fans and pundits alike have begun to compare his exploits and character to those seen in Jordan when he took the league by storm in the 1980s.

Anthony Edwards & Michael Jordan – Stats After 4 NBA Seasons

Category
Anthony Edwards
Michael Jordan

PTS
22.9
32.7

REB
5.2

AST
4.1
5.3

STL
1.4
2.8

FG%
44.6
50.6

3PT%

Jordan was impressed with Edwards as the young guard led Minnesota on a run to the Western Conference Finals, admitting to ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, “that brother is special, there’s no doubt about it.”

Humbled by the comparisons to arguably the greatest basketball player of all-time, Edwards prefers to keep his name out of that discussion for the time being.

“I want it to stop. He’s the greatest of all time. I can’t be compared to him. I want people to be like, ‘This Anthony Edwards kid, he got his own style.’ Like he maybe got a mix of Michael Jordan in him.”

The former Georgia Bulldog does think he has the edge over Jordan in one category, though.

“I got a trey ball. My trey ball. I can shoot the three so that makes me a little different from Michael Jordan.”