“Only One That has the Energy”: Gilbert Arenas Backs Anthony Edwards’ Claim of Being Top Guy in “Older” USA Men’s Olympics Team

Now that the Team USA roster is absolute, there’s a new hangup in the NBA community – who starts? There are veterans like LeBron James and Steph Curry. Kevin Durant is injured and Devin Booker is looking like the probable starter to kickstart the USA basketball team’s Olympic run. Then Anthony Edwards says he’s the answer to everything. His confidence made some iffy. Others felt pumped for Team USA. Gilbert Arenas falls in the latter category. While the panel at Gil’s Arena this week couldn’t agree on what strategy Steve Kerr should take, Arenas was betting on Antman.

Ahead of the upcoming USA vs Canada tune-up game in Vegas, the 22-year-old Timberwolves star said, “I’m still the No.1 option,” on a team with Olympic veterans. Some felt he was being a tad too confident despite being the youngest on the team for his first time in the Olympics. But Arenas tells these commenters that if Ant is not the option, “Then who?” 

Referring to KD’s injury that will sideline him for the first game and LeBron going hard in his fourth and probably last Olympic appearance, Arenas says, “They need a young horse… That horse is going to Anthony Edwards. He’s the only one that has the energy enough to keep going. Everybody’s older.” 

He might not be wrong as even Edwards said, “Y’all might look at it differently, but I don’t.” He’s on a team with several NBA veterans making their Olympic debut like Kawhi Leonard. Steph Curry forewent the 2016 and 2020 Olympics due to injuries and this is his first Olympics too.

Team USA opens the Olympics against Serbia on July 28 in round 1 of the group phase in Paris. But Gil’s Arena was discussing the game against Canada. And they question Team USA Coach, Steve Kerr’s strategy regarding Edwards.

Gilbert Arenas plays a game of coaching

Edwards is coming off a spectacular NBA playoffs run where he led the Timberwolves to the Western Conference Finals for the first time in two decades. He averaged 25.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 5.1 assists last season to back his boasting to boot. When he calls himself the #1 option on Team USA, he also means that he’s the figurative ‘young horse’ pushing the veterans to match his energy.

“They’ve got to fit in to play around me,” Edwards had said. It’s in line with Arenas elevating basketball youngsters over the veterans in Team USA lineups. Arenas put his coaching hat on to devise a play where Steph will be at one followed by Edwards. He’d prefer Bron and KD at three and four with Joel Embiid at five. But since Durant is sidelined for the first game, he’d look at Jayson Tatum who’s wearing Kobe Bryant’s #10 Team USA jersey for the game.

His strategy is centered around Edwards and he thinks Kerr would make a huge mistake forming a strategy around Booker. Kerr did “love” Ant’s statement and wanted the other players to bring that mindset. But he’s still not disclosed what’s his strategy going into Paris.

Stay tuned for more such updates, and to follow what Shaq’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, has to say about the infamous Shaq-Kobe feud, Caitlin Clark’s Olympic snub, and more, watch this video