Anthony Edwards did not mince words as he launched his first-ever awards list on his social media, where he named Olypmic sprinter Noah Lyles, among other people.
In a post on Instagram, Anthony Edwards launched his first “Believe That Awards,” where he gave his opinion on things through “awards.” In one category, which is “Hater of the Year,” he named Noah Lyles alongside analysts Skip Bayless and Charles Barkley, as well as retired NBA legend Magic Johnson.
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The simmering tension between Olympic sprint champion Noah Lyles and NBA fans can be traced back back in 2024, when Lyles made pointed remarks about Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards.
The controversy began when Lyles, in a Time magazine interview, recounted being invited to Edwards’ Adidas shoe release party while negotiating his own contract extension with the brand. Lyles questioned the optics of celebrating an athlete who “has not even been to an NBA Finals,” contrasting it with his own global success on the track.
Though Lyles clarified that he respected Edwards’ talent and had prior commitments that prevented him from attending the event, his comments were widely interpreted as a slight. NBA fans and players, already sensitive from Lyles’ earlier criticism of the league’s use of “world champion” to describe its Finals winners, saw the remarks as another dig at basketball’s elite.
Analysts have suggested the incident reflects a larger trend of high-profile athletes taking personality conflicts that start during competition and translating them to social media, which complicates efforts to resolve issues behind closed doors and often invites third-party analysis from teammates, opponents, and commentators.
Anthony Edwards Uses Michael Jordan Technique in Bulls Preseason Game
Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards showed off one thing he learned from Michael Jordan, as his team faced off against the Chicago Bulls in a preseason game. Edwards logged 25 points during the game, which highlighted new components of his offensive game, including the young wing’s developing post move game.
Edwards finished with seven rebounds and five assists while shooting 9-for-19, and at least one sequence in the low post drew direct comparisons to Jordan once Edwards showed some positioning and footwork he’d learned from the six-timer champion.
The development of Edwards’ post-game came a year after he had a breakout playoff run averaging 25.3 points, 5.5 assists, and 7.8 rebounds to help the Timberwolves reach
the Western Conference Finals.
A largely same roster Minnesota had during the offseason has helped build pressure on Anthony Edwards to develop into an all-around leader capable of leading the Wolves deeper into the postseason.
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Dan has been active in sports since 2016 and has worked behind the scenes as a scriptwriter for basketball, volleyball, and other sports. At a time, Dan has also been working as a sports commentator for CBA Pilipinas. During the pandemic, he has also been actively writing betting articles for CashBet and BetNow.
