Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards indicated that facing basketball legends such as LeBron James serves as extreme motivation.
Anthony Edwards when asked about playing LeBron:
"Any time I see one of those GOATs in front of me, I’m trying to go at them. Every time. I’m not passing. That’s what’s in my mind. Every time I see a LeBron, Kevin Durant, everybody in that category, I’m trying to go at them."
— Dane Moore (@DaneMooreNBA) March 17, 2022
Edwards and James battled each other on Wednesday night, with the Timberwolves coming away with a 124-104 victory.
One connection between Edwards and James is that both were the top overall pick in their respective drafts. Edwards garnered that honor in November 2020, while James’ bit of history dates back to 2003.
At the time that James was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers, Edwards was less than two months away from his third birthday. Thus, Edwards has been able to witness a good portion of James’ career, including the Lakers superstar’s first NBA title as a member of the Miami Heat in 2012.
In some cases, facing a legend can be an awe-inspiring event for a newcomer and take him off his game.
The 20-year-old Edwards had no such qualms by dropping 27 points, six rebounds, four assists and a pair of steals in just over 32 minutes on the court.
That sort of production is something that James has come to admire in many similar younger players who also have competed against him. Yet, James is also a ferocious competitor and equally motivated to try to shut down any player who makes an effort to challenge him.
However, for now, James has little time to reflect on Edwards’ thoughts, considering the Lakers’ playoff chances are slipping away with each new loss. James and the Lakers will seek to start a winning streak on Friday night when they stay on the road to face the Toronto Raptors.
