If you've watched Anthony Edwards at any point during his NBA career, there's a high likelihood that his superstar potential has jumped through the screen. As he gears up to lead Team USA at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup, there's a superstar parallel that's becoming harder and harder to ignore.
In the lead-up to the World Cup, Edwards drew comparisons to Michael Jordan thanks to his tendency to rely on a turnaround fadeaway, which has become something of a go-to for the 22-year-old. These comparisons to His Airness haven't come out of thin air, however.
As Edwards continues to do his best Jordan impersonation with his fadeaway jumper, The Sporting News traces the origins of earlier comparisons between the two.
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Behind the meme: Explaining Anthony Edwards-Michael Jordan comparisons
At some point during the infancy of Edwards' NBA career, a fan noticed a resemblance between his rookie headshot and a headshot from the early stages of Jordan's career. The result was a split image of Edwards' face and Jordan's face that does identify a few similarities.
Don't believe it? Judge for yourself.
— dkb (@dkb_hd) March 19, 2021
It's not clear when the photos were stitched together, but one of the first instances of it being shared came 41 games into Edwards' rookie year when he became the third-youngest player in NBA history to score 40 points in a game.
Six months later, Edwards may or may not have added fuel to the fire after reports surfaced that he had grown from 6-4 to 6-6, something that isn't uncommon for players who debut as teenagers.
Edwards, who is one of the greatest quotes in the NBA, allegedly told Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch "Don't let me get to 6-6 or I'll be Michael Jordan."
Be that as it may, Edwards was still listed as 6-4 in all Timberwolves publications last season. For some, the height difference stood in the way of the two being truly connected. For others, it was Edwards' hair, as his longer styles were much different from Jordan's signature bald head.
That is until Edwards opted to cut his hair during the 2023 offseason. A picture showcasing the cut was shared to Timberwolves Reddit and the top comment reads "It really is Jordan."
A video of Edwards signing with WME Sports Agency with a shorter haircut and hoop earrings made the parallels a little bit harder to ignore. And, of course, there's the on-court element.
Edwards' play — and attitude — are resulting in more and more comparisons to the player many consider to be the GOAT. The similarities may seem striking now, but who knows whether or not they would be made if it weren't for the original photos that were stitched together over two years ago?
Edwards is carving his own path to superstardom now, but if there's anyone to be compared to during the early stages of your career, it's Jordan. I'm sure fans of Team USA and the Timberwolves would agree.
Is Anthony Edwards related to Michael Jordan?
No, Anthony Edwards is not related to Michael Jordan.
Anthony Edwards was born on Aug. 5, 2001, in Atlanta to Yvette Edwards and Roger Caruth. Edwards' mother and grandmother both died when he was in eighth grade and he was raised by his older sister Antoinette and brother, Antoine.
Similar to theories surrounding Jimmy Butler, the resemblance between Edwards and Jordan has prompted fans to hypothesize whether or not Edwards and Jordan are related, however, there is no relation between the two.
