Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards is currently in the midst of an eventful offseason. Shortly after winning gold with Team USA at the Paris Olympics, Edwards has ruffled a few feathers with his comments on the lack of talent of players from previous generations, with several legends of the game then attacking him Timberwolves starincluding Magic Johnson.

Another one of these older players The one Edwards apparently included in his smear was Atlanta Hawks legend Dominique Wilkinsand recently, Wilkins responded to Edwards’ comments during an appearance on the All The Smoke podcast.

“I hate it when they try to blame us to prove their point,” Wilkins said. “They don’t have to do that, you know, because great is great no matter what era you live in. But you don’t use the past era to elevate yourself, because we’ve never done that to guys.”

While Wilkins’ claim that players of his generation “never” hate newcomers is completely inaccurate, the fact remains that comparing eras is a futile endeavor.

During his appearance on the podcast, Wilkins also discussed how he actually played a role in helping Edwards become his mentor during his teenage years in Atlanta.

“He was a kid who lost his family, so he moved around to different places. I understand what he felt and what he went through because I lived it,” Wilkins said. “So to see how he persevered through all those disappointments and became who he is today, it’s a testament to his drive and determination to succeed and show him that he can do it.”

A rising star

United States guard Anthony Edwards (5) reacts in the fourth quarter against Brazil in a men's basketball quarterfinal match at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games at Accor Arena.
Images by Kyle Terada-Imagn

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While Anthony Edwards was already a household name heading into the 2023-24 campaign, the Timberwolves star used last season to catapult through the NBA ranks to the point where he’s now a consensus top 10-15 player in the league, with some even placing him higher than that.

The Timberwolves as a whole are widely considered legitimate championship contenders heading into the 2024-25 season after their run to the Western Conference Finals last year, which included an upset victory over the then-defending champion Denver Nuggets in the conference semifinals with a 20-point comeback in Game 7.

Either way, the impact of Edwards’ star power can be seen in the fact that the Timberwolves will be part of the NBA’s nationally televised opening night this season, as their season is scheduled to begin Oct. 22 against LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers.

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