Is It Reasonable to Compare Anthony Edwards to a Young Michael Jordan?

After NBA legend Kobe Bryant, Anthony Edwards is arguably the star most often compared to All-Time Great Michael Jordan. A few days back, we posted an article that was aimed at finding the closest current player to Jordan. We compared stars like Jimmy Butler, Kawhi Leonard, LeBron James, and so forth with the Hall of Famer. However, we did not analyze Edwards in the list for two reasons: 1) He is younger than most stars who are usually compared to MJ and 2) We wanted to dedicate an entire article to analyzing his similarities with Jordan.

So, in this article, we will compare the Ant-Man to a young MJ to find out whether the comparisons are fair.

Anthony Edwards and Michael Jordan‘s entry into the NBA

Michael Jordan entered the NBA when he was 21 after three years of college basketball. Jordan’s time with the North Carolina Tar Heels played a huge role in his career. MJ already had his mental toughness, and competitiveness, and he was extremely hard-working when he started school. He was very athletic as well. However, he lacked handles, a good shot, consistency, and confidence which he developed under the tutelage of legendary head coach Dean Smith.

The young Michael’s confidence soared to greater heights after he sank the game-winner to clinch the NCAA title in his freshman year. With his hard work, Jordan became consistent as well. So, when he finally entered the league, he was ready to take over. And he took over in style!

After the Houston Rockets and the Portland Trail Blazers passed up, the Chicago Bulls selected Jordan as the 3rd pick in the 1984 NBA draft. Mike took the league by storm and averaged 28.2 points per game to clinch the Rookie of the Year award. He also earned a spot in the All-Star game that year. In the playoffs, the Bucks eliminated MJ and the Bulls in the first round.

Anthony Edwards was a five-star recruit and was considered a top shooting guard in his class. He committed to play college basketball for the Georgia Bulldogs. During his one-and-done, Edwards clinched the SEC ROY award. The 6’4″ star declared for the 2020 draft and the Minnesota Timberwolves selected him as the #1 pick. In his first season, he averaged 19.3 points per game. However, he could not help the Timberwolves reach the playoffs that year.

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Even though Edwards had a great rookie season, it is not close to Jordan’s. However, in comparison, MJ spent three more years in college to hone his skills. Jordan was older and arguably much more complete when he entered the NBA.

Anthony Edwards’ physical and mental similarities to Michael Jordan

Anthony Edwards lost the ROY award to third pick LaMelo Ball who ironically played for Michael Jordan’s former team, the Charlotte Hornets. However, his reaction to losing it showed his elite mentality, which is a huge reason he is often compared to Jordan. ?I?m trying to be MVP,? Edwards told NBA.com. ?I?m not really worried about Rookie of the Year.?

Notably, Edwards had a better points average than Ball. However, he was not worried about the award. Instead, he had his eyes on the bigger prize even as a rookie. The Ant-Man’s mentality is one of the biggest things that most fans love about him. No situation fazes the shooting guard. There have been multiple incidents where his actions during games reminded fans of Jordan. Notably, the 6x NBA champion is also very humble. Similarly, for all his eccentricity, Edwards is humble as well.

Jordan always looked to improve himself and was open to criticism. Especially during his younger years. The same goes for Edwards as well who was praised by his teammates for his willingness to listen. ?We can even yell at him, and he listens,? Austin Rivers recently told reporters as per Yahoo. ?The young dude listens.?

His athleticism, style of play, clutch shots, and even his trash-talking have a lot of similarities to MJ. At 6’6″, Jordan was a bit taller, lighter, and athletic. When he first entered the league, he dominated everyone with his athleticism and played above the ring. The same can be said about Edwards even though he is relatively shorter. He already has some major poster dunks on his highlight reel. Also, Anthony has shown his killer instinct making some clutch shots like MJ.

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Even though there are a lot of similarities between Edwards and Jordan, it can be argued other stars also have the same similarities with varying ranges. So, let’s look for something concrete.

Anthony Edwards and Michael Jordan at 21?

Anthony Edwards was 21 last season, which was his third year in the NBA. Notably, Jordan was 21 when he entered the league. Before his debut, MJ led Team USA to an Olympic Gold. Edwards tried to emulate that in the FIBA World Cup, but Team USA bowed out without a medal. However, he was certainly the best player on the team who gave his everything. Despite this setback, Jordan and Edwards are not far from each other in the league at 21.

Jordan averaged 28.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists, and 2.4 steals per game. Edwards had 24.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 1.6 steals per game as per Basketball Reference. Both were All-Stars as well. Ant-Man definitely has two more years of NBA experience. However, Jordan also gained massive experience from college basketball. But there is no denying the league is much tougher.

Things get much more interesting in the playoffs. Similar to MJ, Edwards was eliminated in the first round. In five games, he averaged 31.6 points, 5 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 2 steals against eventual champions, the Denver Nuggets. Jordan had 29.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 8.5 assists, and 2.8 steals per game in four games. Of course, it was MJ’s first-ever playoff experience, and he never averaged below 30 points in the postseason ever again. But Edwards’ equal performance at the same age has to be noted.

Furthermore, after a dismal Game 1, Edwards erupted for 41 points in Game 2. Jordan’s highest score during the series was 35. Even if you compare it with Anthony’s first playoff series, he impresses. Notably, in his first-ever playoff game during the 2021-22 season, Edwards scored 36 points to lead his team to the win.

When it comes to style of play, Jordan was a master of mid-range and was a great finisher up close. Even though a lot of Edwards’ attempts come from the 3-point territory, his efficiency from close and mid-range is close to Jordan’s. However, MJ was an elite defender as well.

Overall, Edwards certainly has a lot to do to reach the level of Jordan. However, he does have a lot of similarities with the 5x NBA MVP. Not just similarities, he also has the required mindset to reach his level as well. So, the comparison between Edwards and Jordan is not baseless. Also, it is one to keep a close eye on!

Editorial Disclaimer:?The?views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of EssentiallySports.