Is Anthony Edwards Living up to the Superstar Hype?
Over the last couple of years, there seems to have been a major push by ESPN and the rest of sports media to anoint Anthony Edwards the next face of the NBA. While he is just 23 years old, there is no doubt the Timberwolves star is not just good, but very good. In his fifth season, Anthony Edwards averaged nearly 28 points per game, a mark that has increased every year since he joined the NBA. His tenacity, his aggression, his three point shot, his ability to fly through the air, all of these qualities set up the young stud from Georgia for much success in his career, but to be the face of the league, to name him a superstar right here and right now, I think that is a little premature.
In 2024, when the Timberwolves faced off against the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference Finals, Anthony Edwards was outclassed by Luka Doncic in points, rebounds, and assists en route to the Mavericks winning the series 4-1. Flash forward to this year, and the result was virtually the same. Whilst Anthony Edwards averaged 23 points per game across this year’s Western Conference Finals, the Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander averaged a whopping 31.4 points, leading the Thunder to win the series 4-1. In these two series, when Anthony Edwards went up against stars of his caliber, he was outplayed in virtually every way, nearly getting blown off the court in this most recent outing as well.
Could it be that Edwards’ opponents are building their defense around stopping him, stifling his game? Sure, but the Timberwolves did the same exact thing against Luka and SGA, and both of those players performed fine, if not better than expected. Could it be fatigue, that after grinding all season long, Edwards doesn’t have the ability to perform at the same high level of consistency he did previously? Sure, but Luka and SGA also went through the same season Anthony Edwards did, and once again, they performed exceptionally well. Or perhaps the answer to the riddle is a lot more obvious, just many people don’t want to admit it. Anthony Edwards is not a superstar.
The NBA has many stars. Virtually every team has at least one player who scores 20 points a game. Every team has a player that they rally around and expect to deliver in the big moments. Numerous players make the All-Star Game, getting the chance to represent their team and conference, in one of the NBA’s marquee events, but the word “superstar” should be reserved for the best of the best. Superstars aren’t given their title, they aren’t anointed as such when they enter the league, they earn it.
They earned it by winning three MVPs alongside an NBA Championship, Nikola Jokic. They earned it by winning back-to-back MVPs and by dropping a 50-point closeout performance in the NBA Finals, Giannis Antetokounmpo. They earn it by going to 10 NBA Finals throughout their career and winning four of them, LeBron James. Also, maybe by being the greatest shooter who ever played, Steph Curry. All these players, through their on-court game, earned the title of superstar. Perhaps SGA can join this list should he finish the job this season and take home the championship.
Now, is all this to say Anthony Edwards can’t become a superstar? Of course not. Ant-Man is a great player who, at just 23 years of age, has ascended through the ranks of the NBA’s ladder whilst already having been to two Western Conference Finals. He’s a dynamic talent with the ability to truly put on a show for fans across the world, but right now, at this moment, he doesn’t deserve the title of superstar. Perhaps the media hype him up as one for ratings, perhaps it's because he’s an American in a time when international players are taking the league by storm. Regardless, Anthony Edwards still has room to grow and time to mature. He’s a great player, but not quite a superstar, not just yet.
