Skip to main content
georgia logo

Anthony Edwards could be 'face of NBA' - ESPN's Kendrick Perkins

On3 imageby:Wes Blankenship•02/03/23
Golden State Warriors v Minnesota Timberwolves
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - FEBRUARY 01: Anthony Edwards #1 of the Minnesota Timberwolves celebrates his victory as he walks off the court after the game against the Golden State Warriors at Target Center on February 01, 2023 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Timberwolves defeated the Warriors 119-114 in overtime. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)

Anthony Edwards deserves even more respect than he currently commands. I know, it’s hard to fathom if you keep up with Georgia basketball and consider him the biggest star since Dominique Wilkins.

But ESPN analyst and former NBA player Kendrick Perkins led the charge on ‘NBA Today’.

Perkins had the opportunity to expound upon a positive tweet in support of the Minnesota Timberwolves, Anthony Edwards and D’Angelo Russell on the show.

Edwards didn’t earn a spot among the NBA’s All-Star reserves this week. Perkins couldn’t be more impressed with the former Georgia basketball star’s efforts this season.

“Karl-Anthony Towns went down, and then now we’re being able to see the emergence of Anthony Edwards being the leader, being the go-to guy on this team,” Perkins said.

Not only did Perkins double down on Edwards’s All-Star candidacy

Perkins took a stand for Anthony Edwards as the face of the NBA.

“Since Karl-Anthony Towns has been out, (Anthony Edwards) has been averaging over 26 points a game, shooting 39% from three. And he’s doing it in great fashion, and they’re winning. They’re winning,” Perkins said.

“So my thing is, yes. He should be an All-Star this season. But if I’m the Minnesota Timberwolves, and I’m looking at Anthony Edwards, I’m like, ‘This is our guy.’ And I’m gonna take it a step further. We talk about Luka (Dončić), we have conversations about Ja Morant, we even throw Donovan Mitchell, Devin Booker, Giannis (Antetokounmpo). We have all these conversations about, ‘Who should be the face of the league?’ But we never throw Anthony Edwards in there.”

I don’t believe many Georgia fans would disagree with Kendrick Perkins’s assessment of Anthony Edwards

But this isn’t just hype from Perkins. He backed up his take.

“When you talk about character, he has the charisma, he addresses the media. People love him. He’s got the talent. He’s going to give you the highlights, he’s going to give you everything and more. So this is a moment to recognize, understand, he’s in Minnesota. But when you talk about the face of the league and you talk about one of the rising superstars that has an opportunity to be one of the greats in the game right now, this is Ant-Man.”

All-Star recognition or not, Edwards does have everything Perkins mentioned in his monologue and more.

This is a league built on load management just so players can extend their careers. But of all the players who played in 54 games to this point in the season, Edwards leads the league in more than 36 minutes played per game.

The former Dawg is hustlin’.

He’s a huge part of the Timberwolves’ resurgence after starting the season with a 5-8 record.

Maybe Perkins is on to something. But Edwards doesn’t care either way.

You may also like