Anthony Edwards took the NBA world by storm with a sensational run in the 2024 playoffs, and he's not backing down from the spotlight of the international stage.
Edwards will be making his Olympics debut when he plays for Team USA in the 2024 Paris Olympics, suiting up alongside established stars like LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Joel Embiid, and Jayson Tatum.
That star-studded roster hasn't stopped the bravado of Edwards from calling himself the main star on the team.
"I'm still the number one option. Y'all might look at it differently. I don't really care if you do," Edwards said.
Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards on how he fits in with USA Basketball Olympic team: “I’m still the number one option. Y’all might look at it differently. … They’ve got to fit in around me. That’s how I feel.” pic.twitter.com/Cga5kTiR2J
— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) July 7, 2024
MORE: Which players are on the 2024 USA Olympics basketball roster?
Asked how he'd need to fit on the team, Edwards chose to view it a different way.
"I just go out there and be myself, shoot my shot, play defense. And they've got to fit it around me," Edwards said. "That's how I feel."
Edwards, the No. 1 pick in 2020, had a sensational playoff run for Minnesota in which he took over the basketball world. In 16 games, he averaged 27.6 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 6.5 assists while shooting 40 percent from 3-point range and 48.1 percent from the field.
Edwards has twice been named an All-Star and was named to the All-NBA Second Team in 2024.
The Team USA basketball roster is littered with players more accomplished than Edwards, and at 22, Edwards is the youngest player on the squad. Seven of the players are NBA champions and four are former MVPs.
Still, one has to applaud the continued confidence of the young star.
Team USA basketball roster
Name | Team |
Bam Adebayo | Miami Heat |
Devin Booker | Phoenix Suns |
Stephen Curry | Golden State Warriors |
Anthony Davis | Los Angeles Lakers |
Kevin Durant | Phoenix Suns |
Joel Embiid | Philadelphia 76ers |
Anthony Edwards | Minnesota Timberwolves |
Tyrese Haliburton | Indiana Pacers |
Jrue Holiday | Boston Celtics |
LeBron James | Los Angeles Lakers |
Kawhi Leonard | Los Angeles Clippers |
Jayson Tatum | Boston Celtics |