Team USA star Anthony Edwards has gone on record to clarify a report that he objected to Steve Kerr’s previous decision to have him come off the bench.
According to An Athletic article, Kerr had reportedly told “Ant” that even Dwyane Wade had to come off the Team USA bench because they had Kobe Bryant. Edwards allegedly told Kerr, “We don’t have a Kobe”.
That’s one confident statement. But unfortunately, the Minnesota Timberwolves star said that’s not what he said.
During an Instagram Live feed, Anthony Edwards clarified that he didn’t say those words out loud. Instead, he said it was what he had in mind when he and Kerr had that conversation.
Anthony Edwards admits he wasn’t cool with Steve Kerr trying to bring him off the bench
“He said Dwyane Wade came off the bench when Kobe played. I was like, ‘all right, we don’t have a Kobe.’”
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— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) August 24, 2023
“Y’all losers beat it, man,” Edwards said. “Y’all taking a little comment too far. I didn’t even say that to Steve Kerr. I was thinking that when he said I was coming off the bench. Y’all doing too much. Y’all going too far. That’s my dog, man. Steve Kerr locked in. We talk every day.”
During the current U.S. men’s basketball team’s first “game” together, Edwards came off the bench. In that game, the U.S. Select team, led by Detroit Pistons star Cade Cunningham, defeated the U.S. FIBA World Cup team.
Although that contest was more of a scrimmage and not an official game, it was still a loss. Given the high expectations, it drew criticism, with former NBA player Gilbert Arenas going as far as saying that Edwards’ benching was a shoe-sponsorship thing since seven out of the 12 players on the team are endorsers of Nike, the official sponsor of Team USA.
But since that Game, Kerr has put Edwards in the starting unit, and the Timberwolves star has slowly developed into the team’s top-scoring option and the leading player. In their tune-up game against Germany, Edwards carried the flag by scoring 34 points and leading the team to an impressive comeback win.
That game against Germany solidified Edwards’ status as the team’s go-to guy.
Although Edwards has played superbly on an individual level, his willingness to play any role on a star-studded squad has made him more impressive in his first tour of duty for the Stars and Stripes.
Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra, one of Steve Kerr’s assistants on the current U.S. team, was all praises for Ant-Man when Philippine media interviewed him.
Not only did Coach Spoelstra credit Edwards for being a fun guy to be around, but he also lauded his readiness to sacrifice personal statistics to buy into a bigger goal.
Spoelstra even went as far as saying that Edwards reminds him a lot of Dwyane Wade.
According to Spoelstra, Edwards has the moves, the competitive spirit, the electrifying moves, and the ability to take over games that were the trademark of D-Wade’s Hall of Fame NBA career.
