Anthony Edwards‘ decreased performance as a result of exhaustion was one of the primary causes of Minnesota’s decline in form. The guard’s tired body against the Denver Nuggets has been blamed for his subpar performance on both ends of the court.
Shannon Sharpe, though, isn’t buying that. The analyst addressed Ant-Man’s frequent parallels to Michael Jordan on a recent episode of the Nightcap podcast, emphasizing that the 22-year-old cannot use weariness as an excuse to avoid responsibility.
Sharpe said to Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson, his co-host,
“You can’t get tired at 22! Was Kobe [Bryant] tired at 22? Was [Michael] Jordan tired at 22? Was LeBron [James] tired at 22? For the most part, they took on the [best players of the other team]…”
Ochocinco interrupted, stating that those players didn’t need to have a top-tier scorer and ball handler like Kyrie Irving. Sharpe, though, was set on his course already. At this level, being fatigued is not an acceptable excuse, according to the three-time Super Bowl Champion. Sharpe added,
“That’s what makes those guys [Kobe, LeBron, and MJ] great. When LeBron was in his prime, he could take a Kevin Durant, try to hold him under what he’d normally get, while still giving you what [he] normally gives you on the other end,”
Is it fair to criticise Anthony Edwards ?
Sharpe makes a legitimate argument about those three superstars’ extraordinary play on both ends of the court, but the comparison is unjust. LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Michael Jordan are among the best players in NBA history.
However, Edwards is still a developing talent; he is a young, inexperienced player who has to protect one of the best players of all time in addition to serving as his team’s primary offensive option.
Jordan had missed the playoffs in his first season as a rookie with the Chicago Bulls, at the age of 22. Edwards is leading his club to its first deep playoff run in years at the same age that he is suffering from the aftermath of a brutal seven-game series against the reigning champions.
It is unfair to the rookie guard that Sharpe is holding him to such a high standard. Nevertheless, despite the fact that he is literally out of breath, Edwards has performed well enough for supporters and commentators to expect the best of him.