With each monster slam and Michael Jordan comparison, Anthony Edwards becomes bigger.
Minnesota is dominating in the NBA playoffs for the first time in 20 years.
4
Karl-Anthony Towns was supposed to be the new franchise face for the Timberwolves, but "Ant-Man" is owning the Denver Nuggets and becoming the hottest name in the postseason.
The guard is changing in The Association.
For the first time since 2005, the conference semifinals are being played without either LeBron James, Stephen Curry or Kevin Durant.
Enter Ant, who is shrugging like MJ while averaging 32.3 points on 54.7 percent shooting and sinking 41.9 percent of his 3-pointers.
READ MORE ON NBA
"In Dat Mode," Edwards posted on Instagram. "#LockIn."
He also lacks fear.
Edwards once told an interviewer that he could do anything at a high level -- tennis, swimming, hockey ... or cook food.
"Whatever you need me to do," he said. "I bet I'll be A1 from day one,"
4
4
4
Victor Wembanyama could soon become the new face of the NBA.
The 7ft 4in "alien" was unanimously named Rookie of the Year and spent his first season wowing social media with unbelievable stats.
Kyrie Irving reveals Victor Wembanyama's petty response to being shot over in the Dallas Maverick's win over the San Antonio Spurs
But the current reality is that Wemby stars for a bad San Antonio team and it could be years before the Spurs can dream of holding a 2-0 conference semifinals lead.
Edwards and the T-Wolves possess that advantage right now -- and the series will soon move to Minnesota, after Ant's squad humiliated the reigning champion Nuggets in Denver.
Since Air Jordan changed the league from 1984-98, the NBA has promoted individual stars over teams, using the biggest and best players to build a worldwide brand.
James will turn 40 before 2024 is complete.
Most read in Basketball
There's no guarantee that he returns to the Lakers and, if he does, Los Angeles needs another head coach for an aging king.
Curry's Golden State Warriors didn't even make the playoffs this season, while Durant's Phoenix Suns were swept out of the first round -- by Ant.
“I’m proud of the way he’s accepted the kind of growth he needed to have to be where he is,” Minnesota veteran guard Mike Conley said. “It’s not easy for a 22-year-old to make that adjustment so quickly.”
It wasn't long ago that Edwards was being humbled by Steve Kerr when the Warriors were on top of the basketball world.
In May of 2024, Ant is blending Dominique Wilkins' awesome on-court power with Jordan's supreme confidence and intensity.
"Mr. Edwards," TNT analyst Charles Barkley said. "Ant-Man is here to stay."
Luka Doncic clearly has the talent to be a franchise- and sport-changer for the Dallas Mavericks.
But while the 25-year-old guard from Slovenia has five All-Star appearances and was an MVP candidate this season, he's been off in the playoffs and enters a second-round matchup against top seed Oklahoma City with a ton to still prove.
Jayson Tatum leads a Boston squad that won 78 percent of its games this season and the 26-year-old forward has already reached the Eastern Conference finals three times.
But Tatum's name doesn't move the meter, despite his smooth all-around game.
No one is more explosive than Ant right now.
Edwards is the only NBA athlete in 2024 regularly being compared to the greatest player of all time.
For Minnesota's "wolf" to truly leap upward, he must guide his crew to 10 more playoff wins and a shining Finals trophy.
But it's obvious that Barkley is seeing the same thing in Edwards as NBA fans across the globe.
Something special is happening with Ant.
If he keeps sinking 3s, shrugging his shoulders and collecting big playoff wins, the new young face of the NBA won't be Wemby, Doncic or Tatum.
It will be a 22-year-old who was called Ant-Man by his father when he was 3, and only switched from football to basketball in his youth because the sport with a round, bouncing ball appeared to be more fun.
“There's no weaknesses in his game,” Denver coach Michael Malone said. "It's going to be a hell of a challenge trying to slow him down."
Read More on talkSPORT
Edwards was 3-years-old the last time the Timberwolves were this good.
LeBron James was a 19-year-old NBA rookie, fresh out of high school and trying to wear a crown for the Cleveland Cavaliers.