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Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards is currently in the middle of what has been an eventful offseason. Shortly after winning gold with Team USA at the Paris Olympics, Edwards ruffled some feathers with his comments about players from previous generations lacking skill, with several legends of the game then taking shots at the Timberwolves star, including Magic Johnson.
Another one of those older players who Edwards seemingly included in his diss was Atlanta Hawks legend Dominique Wilkins, and recently, Wilkins responded to Edwards' comments during an appearance on the All The Smoke podcast.
“I hate when they try to s—t on us to prove their point,” said Wilkins. “They don’t have to do that you know because great is great, I don’t care what era you’re in. But you don’t use the past era to elevate yourself because we never did that to guys.”
While Wilkins' assertion that players from his generation “never” hate on the new kids on the block is wildly inaccurate, the point remains that comparing eras is a fruitless endeavor.
In the podcast appearance, Wilkins also broke down how he actually played a part in helping mentor Edwards during his time as a teenager growing up in Atlanta.
“He was a kid who lost his family, so he moved around to different places. I understand how he felt and what he went through because I went through that,” said Wilkins. “So to see how he persevered through all those disappointments and became what he is now, it’s a testament to his will and his determination to be successful and to show him that hey, I can do this.”
A rising star
While Anthony Edwards was already a household name prior to the 2023-24 campaign, the Timberwolves star used last season to catapult up the NBA ranks to the point where he is now a consensus top 10-15 player in the league, with some having him even higher than that.
The Timberwolves as a whole are widely considered to be legitimate championship contenders heading into 2024-25 after their Western Conference Finals run last year, which included a shocking upset of the then reigning champion Denver Nuggets in the conference semifinals with a 20-point comeback in Game 7.
In any case, the impact of Edwards' star power can be seen in the fact that the Timberwolves will be a part of the NBA's opening night nationally televised showcase this season, as their season is set to begin on October 22 vs LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers.
