The NBA world witnessed the rise of Anthony Edwards during the Minnesota Timberwolves’ first-round series against the Phoenix Suns in the 2024 Playoffs. At just 23 years old, Ant-Man not only showed the maturity to lead his squad past the most star-studded offensive trio in the league but also demonstrated his fearlessness by relentlessly trash-talking Kevin Durant.
More importantly, while things could’ve gone haywire, Edwards only managed to earn the respect of one of the most accomplished NBA superstars of all time.
What did Ant-Man tell KD?
When facing your idol, most players aim to leave a lasting impression while showing utmost respect. However, for Edwards, his showdown with Durant was marked by intense verbal bickering. However, while ‘The Slim Reaper’ could easily have been irked, he only smiled after recognizing the determination and confidence within the 6’4″ shooting guard.
In an episode of ‘Starting 5’ on Netflix, Ant revealed what he told Kevin during that particular sequence from Game 1.
“I’m like, ‘KD, come on, KD. You ain’t no defensive player’… But he took the challenge in guarding me and I was happy.”
Anthony Edwards breaks down the interaction between him and Kevin Durant in the playoffs 🗣️
(via @netflix, “Starting 5”)pic.twitter.com/rsRwH4UNPO
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) October 14, 2024
“I’m like, ‘KD, come on, KD. You ain’t no defensive player,'” Edwards said. “But he took the challenge in guarding me and I was happy… After the little back-and-forth after the first game. I think that was just like everything for me. Then, they call a timeout. He’s like, ‘Boy, you so nasty.’ I feel like I’m the greatest.”
Edwards proved his mettle to Durant
While it might annoy some players to be chirped at by someone who hasn’t accomplished much in the league yet, the two-time Finals MVP seemed to recognize Ant’s confidence and his determination to lead his team out of the first round for the first time in two decades.
Most importantly, Edwards didn’t just talk – he backed it up, too. Ant dropped a game-high 33 points to give the Minnesota Timberwolves an early advantage in the series and followed it up, dropping another game-high performance of 36 points to put his team 3-0 up. By the end of the first-round series, the Georgia native had registered series-high tallies in points (31.0) and assists (6.3) over those four games.
While Edwards is likely satisfied with outplaying his idol in the 2024 Playoffs, if he knows anything about the 14-time All-Star, Kevin always stands tall regarding vengeance. And given how his Phoenix Suns were eliminated through a clean sweep, KD will definitely be determined to raise his intensity when the two teams face off again in the 2024-25 season.