Shaquille O’Neal compliments Anthony Edwards' 37-point night with Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade comparisons
NBA legend-turned-TNT analyst Shaquille O’Neal had high praise for Minnesota Timberwolves star shooting guard Anthony Edwards on Tuesday, likening him to two all-time greats.
Edwards finished the Timberwolves’ nationally televised TNT matchup against the LA Clippers with a game-high 37 points, eight rebounds and four assists on 51.7% shooting.
During halftime, with the shorthanded Timberwolves, who were without star big man Karl-Anthony Towns (knee), trailing by 8, O’Neal raved about the 22-year-old. He compared Edwards to Miami Heat and LA Lakers legends Dwyane Wade and Kobe Bryant, citing his fierce competitive mindset and elite scoring ability.
“This kid right here, he’s not stopping. He wants it,” O’Neal said “… This guy is the system and he is the man. … He reminds me of a young D-Wade and a young Kobe. He’s going to score. He’s going to get his every time. … I respect the kid and love the kid because he wants it.”
Following O’Neal’s comments, Minnesota outscored LA 63-37 in the second half, securing a comfortable 118-100 road victory after trailing by as many as 22 points.
Multiple stars exited with injuries during the contest, including Clippers superstar forward Kawhi Leonard. He headed to the locker room after the first quarter and didn’t return due to back spasms. Meanwhile, Timberwolves star center Rudy Gobert checked out in the fourth quarter after sustaining a left rib injury.
Thus, Edwards was the clear-cut star of the show, winning his head-to-head matchup against Clippers star wing Paul George decisively. George finished with a team-best 22 points, 15 points short of Edwards.
While the two-time All-Star may not yet be on Wade and Bryant’s level, he has shown flashes of superstardom throughout the season. Tuesday’s outing marked his 25th game with 30-plus points, tying him for the fifth-most in the league.
So, the sky appears to be the limit for the rising superstar.
Also Read: Anthony Edwards gets Paul Pierce wheelchair memes treatment from NBA Twitter after entering second half late
Anthony Edwards says Clippers couldn’t guard him following Kawhi Leonard’s injury
Following his 37-point performance against the Clippers, Anthony Edwards showcased his trademark confidence in his postgame interview.
When asked about his offensive dominance, the 2020 No. 1 pick highlighted how LA was helpless defensively against him after Kawhi Leonard exited the game. According to Edwards, even the Clippers’ double-teams were no match for him.
“Just a bunch of mismatches,” Edwards said. “Their best defender is Kawhi. Kawhi went down, and they were just putting two on me and trying stuff. I hit one shot and I just got going.”
Following his big night, Edwards is averaging 26.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.3 steals and 2.5 3-pointers per game on 46.3% shooting through 63 games. Meanwhile, the Timberwolves (45-21) sit 0.5 games behind the West’s first seed.
Edwards and Co. have three days off before their next road matchup against the Utah Jazz (28-37) on Saturday.
Also Read: "Aren’t you a quarterback?" - Anthony Edwards reveals inspiration behind his debut Adidas AE1 exclusive colorway