Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards is carving out a path that will take him toward becoming the next face of the NBA. Under his leadership, the franchise has reached the Western Conference Finals for the first time during the 2003–2004 season. Along with that, the records that he has been setting at the young age of 22 have allowed him to be compared alongside some of the greatest players to walk the face of the earth. His influence is increasing at such a rapid rate that a former Lakers star believes it won’t be long before the names of LeBron James and Stephen Curry will not be the most dominant.

A few hours ago, 2018 NBA champion Nick Young sat down for an interview with VladTV. During the conversation, he praised Anthony Edwards, stating that the shooting guard has managed to stay in the playoffs while all the “old stars” are out. He highlighted how “small market teams” are gaining traction while widely popular franchises like the Lakers struggle to succeed. This convinced him that moving forward, the NBA may have to shift its focus and determine which team/player helps them spread the message of basketball to a greater extent. “You need a guy like Anthony Edwards to help make this money, to shift it because LeBron gonna be gone in a minute, KD gonna be gone in a minute, Steph is gone in a minute,” said Young, adding, “They got like a good three years, and then it’s over. If they don’t form like the ‘Old Man Avengers’ together, it could be over faster”.

With time, there have been one or more players through whom the NBA has spread the message of their sport for the world to hear. The ’80s had Larry Bird and Magic Johnson, and the ’90s had Michael Jordan. For quite some time now, the trio of LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant have been amongst the most recognizable active sportspeople. However, with all three of them being 35 or above and LeBron James being a ripe 39, the time has come to pass on the baton to the next generation of athletes. Bearing this in mind, who better to take up the position than the individual many have dubbed ‘The Next Michael Jordan’?

LeBron James believes that Anthony Edwards can “carry the torch” once he retires

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James has not indicated that he wishes to retire soon. However, since he has already devoted 21 seasons to the NBA, the player knows he hasn’t gotten much time next. Therefore, he isn’t hesitant in naming those who he believes can carry on the name of the NBA as he has. King James was interviewed by the crew at ‘NBA on TNT’ in February, before the All-Star game, where he elaborated on his narrative.

When asked who the player would like to compete against during the event, he replied, “I would say Shai, Ant-Man, I feel like those are two of the guys that can continue the torch after I’m done, after Steph (Curry), [Kevin Durant], the guys that have just been setting the standard for so many years”. He highlighted that both Anthony Edwards and Shai-Gilgeous Alexander possess a certain level of “charisma” that he loves.

Anthony Edwards may be rising steadily, but he still struggles to overcome the All-Time NBA scorer. On the nine occasions the duo has faced each other on the court, the Lakers have won six matchups. Therefore, before becoming the face of the NBA, ‘Ant-Man’ might have to show that he has the potential to efficiently go up against those who currently hold the title. What’s your take on Edwards’ surge in the league? Share your thoughts in the comments.