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After last season, Minnesota Timberwolves superstar Anthony Edwards has made himself a household name. Edwards was the key player in leading the Timberwolves back to the Western Conference Finals against the Dallas Mavericks. But with the bigger spotlight, Edwards has also garnered criticism – especially from older players. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Edwards was asked how his generation of basketball players compared to the ones that came before, a regular talking point in NBA discourse. Edwards answered by boldly calling out those prior generations for lacking skill— other than Hall of Fame guard Michael Jordan. Those comments have had Edwards in the crosshairs of former NBA legends, with Rasheed Wallace the latest to fire off their feelings on Edwards.
"At this point in [Anthony Edwards'] career, he's not better than a Derrick McKey, he's not better than a Grant Hill, he's not better than a Scottie Pippen… [Ant] is improving, but he's not that defender yet."
– Rasheed Wallace
(via @SheedXTylerShow)pic.twitter.com/t1NPJTmGvq
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) September 4, 2024
“I like Ant-Man too, but here’s my thing: at this point in his career, in my opinion, he’s not better than Derrick McKey,” said Wallace. “He’s not better than Grant Hill. He’s not better than Scottie Pippen. You know what I’m saying?
“…I’m talking both sides of the ball now. You know Derrick McKey was a defender. He is not a defender. He’s improving, but he’s not that defender yet.”
By mentioning some of the NBA's greatest defenders, Wallace is undoubtedly irked by Edwards' comments. However, Wallace's comments regarding Edwards' defense are off-kilter. Edwards is a stud defensively, thanks to his natural size and athleticism. In an 82-game slog, it can be easy to miss with all eyes on Edwards' dynamic scoring. However, in the playoffs against the Denver Nuggets, Edwards' defense was fully displayed.
Anthony Edwards' defense carried the Timberwolves in the NBA Playoffs
During Game 7 of Minnesota's series against the Denver Nuggets, Edwards struggled to put the ball in the basket and finished with an abysmal 16 points on six of 24 shooting. While Edwards was still an offensive contributor with his playmaking, what stood out was his lockdown defense on Nuggets superstar Jamal Murray.
In the Timberwolves' 98-90 win, Murray scored 35 points, leading the Nuggets in scoring. However, Murray had to take 27 field goal attempts to get there. Because of Edwards' defense, Murray connected on only 13 of those 27 attempts, struggling to find a consistent rhythm in an elimination game.
Overall, Edwards helped hold Murray to 17 points per game on 40.3% shooting. Those numbers are staggeringly lower than what Murray averaged during the regular season. So, despite what Wallace might have to say, Edwards is a reasonably stout defender. It might not have the accolades to go with it quite yet. But, if Edwards leads Minnesota to a title, he'll silence all his critics.
