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via Imago

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Charles Barkley heaped Ant-Man with praise as he was left spellbound by his performance. The Timberwolves breached the Ball Arena and went 1-0 up in the series. Anthony Edwards dropped a playoff-high score of 43 tonight to defeat the Nuggets 106-99. Speaking of the rising 22-year-old’s performance, Barkley fell short of words to describe his impact, warning every opposition of a future “problem”.

TNT even took a friendly dig at the legend, sharing a fan’s reaction to Chuck’s overflowing praise for the youngster on live TV. The fan on his X handle wrote, “Charles up there having flashbacks of Mike.” This was all in reference to Michael Jordan after the 1993 Finals loss. Nevertheless, sitting alongside Inside Guys and special guest Dirk Nowitzki, Chuck dived deeper into the game. He lauded the Wolves for defending and wearing out Jamal Murray in the first half and also appreciated the rest of the Nuggets roster for their efforts.

Following that, he continued, “But the main thing man, that damn man, Anthony Edwards, he is special.” The legend went on to appreciate Anthony Edwards‘ efforts to improve his 3-point shooting while he already dominated the paint and mid-range. He concluded by saying, “This boy going to be a problem,” highlighting the 22-year-old’s ability to upset his opponent on both ends of the court.

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USA Today via Reuters

Chuck, speaking of his perimeter shooting, said,” I didn’t know he could shoot threes… He made himself a hell of a three-point shooter.” Tonight, Edwards went 3-7 from the arc and in the first-round series against the Suns, he recorded 44% from the three-point line, sinking 14 three-pointers in four games. Out of which, in Game 4, he dropped his playoff best of 7 3s.

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Anthony Edwards earned a Kobe Bryant comparison!

Fans often compared the 22-year-old to Michael Jordan. It ranged from looks to athletics. Importantly, Ant has still a long way to go before even aiming to beat the Bulls legend’s accolades. However, tonight, he breached an achievement of another legend, the late Kobe Bryant.

Just like Ant-Man, Mamba also gained a lot of popularity in his starting years and proved to be a potential superstar. At the time, he became the only player under 22 to drop back-to-back 40-pointers in a playoff. He dropped 48 and 45 points against the Sacramento Kings in 2001. Tonight, Edwards joined him on the elite list, dropping 40 against the Suns in Game 4 and 43 points.

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Nevertheless, Kobe still stands a mile ahead of him in terms of achievements at the age of 22. The Black Mamba achieved his three-peat at the age of 23, winning three titles with the help of Shaquille O’Neal. On the other hand, this rising superstar can win at least 2 championships before turning 23. But, everything depends on the ongoing intense series against the defending champions.

Will Anthony Edwards carry his team to the Conference Finals? Let us know in the comments below.

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