Anthony Edwards doesn't have many friends in the NBA.
The 2020 No. 1 overall pick recently criticized past generations of players in the NBA, saying he doesn't think “anyone” has the skill set besides Michael Jordan.
“People always say it was tougher back then, but I don't think anybody had the skill back then,” Edwards told The Wall Street Journal. “So when I saw Kobe, [Bryant]they were like, 'Oh my God.' But now everyone has the skills.”
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Anthony Edwards, wearing number 5 for the Minnesota Timberwolves, celebrates after making a three-point shot during the third quarter against the Denver Nuggets in Game 7 of the Western Conference second round playoffs at Ball Arena on May 19, 2024 in Denver. (C. Morgan Engel/Getty Images)
No doubt the old leaders did not like it.
Magic Johnson, the Hall of Famer and five-time NBA champion, responded pretty bluntly.
“I never respond to a guy who's never won a championship. He never won a championship in college, and I don't know if he won a championship in high school,” Johnson said during a recent performance in Los Angeles.
Even Kevin Garnett, the Minnesota Timberwolves legend for whom Edwards currently plays, felt Edwards was taking things a bit too far.
“I honestly don't think anybody from this generation could have played 20 years ago,” he said on the “All the Smoke” podcast.
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards celebrates a foul against the Phoenix Suns during the first half of Game 4 of their NBA basketball playoff first round series, Sunday, April 28, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
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“I'll tell you guys,” Garnett continued, “20 years ago you couldn't do a triple step back, you shot it and it had to go in. You know why? It was more efficient back then, buddy. It was too hard, too physically demanding. The league needed to get rid of that to get the flow going and score more points. That's why we love sitting here watching the competition of the fast-paced game.”
But longtime ESPN host Tony Kornheiser was the most scathing, calling Edwards “a fool.”
“You have to look at these guys because he's destroying some NBA legends,” Kornheiser said on “Pardon the Interruption” on Tuesday.
“He's a talented player. … He should have stopped at the 'I haven't seen the game, I have no say' statement. He should have stopped there. He's throwing a generation of NBA stars on the trash heap.”
“This is a lack of interest in looking at history.”
Edwards lived up to expectations from his college days, averaging a career-best 25.9 points per game last season and dishing out thunderous dunks, and he's just won a gold medal at the Paris Olympics.
He led the T-Wolves to the Western Conference Finals and the team is expected to again make a deep playoff run.
Anthony Edwards, wearing number 5 for the Minnesota Timberwolves, watches the team play against the Dallas Mavericks during Game 5 of the third round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs at Target Center on May 30, 2024 in Minneapolis. (Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)
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Edwards is shooting a career-best 46.7% from the field in 2023-24 and his 5.1 assists are a career high.
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Anthony Edwards gets harsh backlash after comments on former NBA players: ‘Sounds like a fool’
Anthony Edwards doesn't have many friends in the NBA.
The 2020 No. 1 overall pick recently criticized past generations of players in the NBA, saying he doesn't think “anyone” has the skill set besides Michael Jordan.
“People always say it was tougher back then, but I don't think anybody had the skill back then,” Edwards told The Wall Street Journal. “So when I saw Kobe, [Bryant]they were like, 'Oh my God.' But now everyone has the skills.”
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Anthony Edwards, wearing number 5 for the Minnesota Timberwolves, celebrates after making a three-point shot during the third quarter against the Denver Nuggets in Game 7 of the Western Conference second round playoffs at Ball Arena on May 19, 2024 in Denver. (C. Morgan Engel/Getty Images)
No doubt the old leaders did not like it.
Magic Johnson, the Hall of Famer and five-time NBA champion, responded pretty bluntly.
“I never respond to a guy who's never won a championship. He never won a championship in college, and I don't know if he won a championship in high school,” Johnson said during a recent performance in Los Angeles.
Even Kevin Garnett, the Minnesota Timberwolves legend for whom Edwards currently plays, felt Edwards was taking things a bit too far.
“I honestly don't think anybody from this generation could have played 20 years ago,” he said on the “All the Smoke” podcast.
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards celebrates a foul against the Phoenix Suns during the first half of Game 4 of their NBA basketball playoff first round series, Sunday, April 28, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
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“I'll tell you guys,” Garnett continued, “20 years ago you couldn't do a triple step back, you shot it and it had to go in. You know why? It was more efficient back then, buddy. It was too hard, too physically demanding. The league needed to get rid of that to get the flow going and score more points. That's why we love sitting here watching the competition of the fast-paced game.”
But longtime ESPN host Tony Kornheiser was the most scathing, calling Edwards “a fool.”
“You have to look at these guys because he's destroying some NBA legends,” Kornheiser said on “Pardon the Interruption” on Tuesday.
“He's a talented player. … He should have stopped at the 'I haven't seen the game, I have no say' statement. He should have stopped there. He's throwing a generation of NBA stars on the trash heap.”
“This is a lack of interest in looking at history.”
Edwards lived up to expectations from his college days, averaging a career-best 25.9 points per game last season and dishing out thunderous dunks, and he's just won a gold medal at the Paris Olympics.
He led the T-Wolves to the Western Conference Finals and the team is expected to again make a deep playoff run.
Anthony Edwards, wearing number 5 for the Minnesota Timberwolves, watches the team play against the Dallas Mavericks during Game 5 of the third round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs at Target Center on May 30, 2024 in Minneapolis. (Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)
Click here to get the FOX News app
Edwards is shooting a career-best 46.7% from the field in 2023-24 and his 5.1 assists are a career high.
Follow Fox News Digital X's sports coverageSubscribe Fox News Sports Huddle Newsletter.
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