LeBron James believes Anthony Edwards can lead the next generation of ‘great’ basketball players.
While the Minnesota Timberwolves are far from the flashiest team in the NBA, and even entered their first-round series against the Los Angeles Lakers as underdogs, they have proved everyone wrong so far.
The Wolves beat the Lakers in five games to reach the Western Conference Semifinals, and are now looking to take down the Golden State Warriors.
The series might carry extra weight for Edwards, after his work ethic was once doubted by opposition coach Steve Kerr.
The first overall pick of the 2020 draft has already been key to Minnesota’s success and was described by teammate Julius Randle as ‘Ironman’ for playing through injury to help tie the semifinal series 1-1.
LeBron, a veteran of the league, has been similarly complimentary of ‘Ant’ in recent days — despite being sent packing by the Timberwolves.
The four-time NBA champion was seen urging 23-year-old Edwards to ‘take the next step’ after they went toe-to-toe on the court, and already believes he is starting to do that as the playoffs unfold.
“Now I see Ant taking that next step,” James told Steve Nash on the Mind the Game podcast.
“It’s a proud feeling for me as a player who has been in the league for so long.
“He’s improved so much with his play-making, and you’ve seen him make the jump just from last year’s playoff run to this one.”
James, who saw another NBA star equal one of his impressive Cavaliers records on Friday night, went on to break down the words he shared with Edwards last week.
“I think that moment for me is like, you know, understanding and recognizing the next generation,” he continued.
LeBron has offered high praise of Edwards after going toe-to-toe on the courtGetty“Recognising someone who can do it and be great for a long time in our league.
“That’s what our game is all about, passing it down to the next generation and they can continue to do great things.”
Nash, a two-time MVP himself, suggested that to really make the next step, Edwards has ‘got to be a great teammate, be coachable, make others believe he’s buying in’.
James, still ranked as one of the greatest NBA players in the world, agreed with that assessment, before identifying a unique ingredient the rising star possesses.
He explained: “Everything that Rudy (Gobert) did in Game 5 came because Ant approached the game the way he did in those first four games.
“All the eyes were on Ant.
Edwards helped lead the Timberwolves to victory over the LakersGetty“Everything was game-planned around Ant, and Rudy was the beneficiary of that moment.
“Also, when you have a guy like Ant who is growing, making that change and developing more and more, it makes guys want to come there too.
“You have to think long-term, when it comes to free agency and things of that nature – how do you keep getting better?
“If you’re a good team, how do you become a great team? One or two pieces in the off-season, if you acquire that, they can make the jump for you.
“Ant has that bravado, that flair and that ‘IT’ factor. Guys want to play alongside that.
“It’s energetic, it’s fun and he competes.”
The Timberwolves will be hoping that the traits identified by LeBron will be on display if Edwards takes the court for Game 3 against the Warriors on Saturday night.
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