Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards is receiving backlash from current and past NBA players for comments regarding the era Michael Jordan played in.
Edwards told Wall Street Journal reporter Lane Florsheim last month that he doesn’t “think anybody had skill back then,” clarifying that only Jordan did.
“I didn’t watch it back in the day, so I can’t speak on it. They say it was tougher back then than it is now, but I don’t think anybody had skill back then,” Edwards said in the interview.
“[Michael Jordan was the only one that really had skill, you know what I mean? So that’s why when they saw Kobe [Bryant], they were like, ‘Oh my God.’ But now everybody has skill.”
The latest to comment on the young Wolves star was the Philadelphia 76ers’ Paul George on his podcast. George said on a recent episode that Edwards’ comments were “kind of disrespectful to the game,” adding it was a “very immature comment.”
“Obviously, Anthony Edwards is super talented and is a huge talent going forward but just how much the game has grown and how far like you got to pay dues to those dudes that did it before us, and I think that’s just where the translation between that era and his era… they don’t really know you know too much of Magic Johnson and Larry Bird,” George said on the Podcast P podcast.
“But I think his comment was more so geared towards like… Because obviously MJ is moving how guys move in this era today, so I think that was kind of like where he was going with it, as far as the movement and the explosiveness, the athleticism — and being able to contort your body.”
George isn’t the only one to respond to Edwards’ comments.
Here’s a look at some others who also have shared their thoughts.
On an episode of the KG: Certified podcast, the former Boston Celtics teammates shared their thoughts on Edwards’ words and how they disagreed.
Pierce pointed out how when Garnett was drafted in 1995 that he was regarded as one of the most skilled players at that time.
Garnett said players in the modern era couldn’t play in the Jordan era due to the physicality difference on the court.
“I don’t think anybody in this generation could have played like 20 years ago… Let’s not talk about the physicality of the game back then, real sh**, because I only think half these kids in the league could have been on an NBA team 20 years ago,” the former Timberwolves MVP said.
