May 26, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) reacts against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first half during game four of the western conference finals for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Target Center. Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

14-Year NBA Veteran Issues Public Apology to Anthony Edwards

Originally posted on New Orleans Pelicans on SI
By Matt Guzman | Last updated May 28, 2025 4:14 PM ET

Kendrick Perkins certainly read the headlines about Anthony Edwards at the end of March.

Tuesday afternoon, the former New Orleans Pelicans center took to ESPN's "First Take" to address the long-standing "Face of the League" debate. Many have placed Edwards near, if not at, the top of the discussion, while Edwards himself doesn't particularly care for the title.

Perkins seems to agree with the latter.

"Things outside the lines matter," he said. "If you think that (doesn't) play a role ... this is facts."

Shortly before that statement, Perkins listed several NBA stars, past and present, who had reasonable claims to title before Edwards, including LeBron James, Steph Curry, Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. All of them, according to Perkins, were "family men."

"You gotta check the boxes when you’re the face of the league…Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Shaq, LeBron, Steph…they all were family men. They all were married with kids." - Kendrick Perkins on Anthony Edwards pic.twitter.com/U8zFUZaYX2
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 27, 2025

Edwards recently made headlines after rumors surfaced that he had opted to pay the mother of his child, Ayesha Howard, a "lump sum" of $1.08 million in child support instead of monthly installments. Howard claims those rumors are false.

Either way, Perkins apologized for his statement Wednesday afternoon.

Anthony Edwards is one my favorite players in the League if not my favorite player. I apologized privately so I’m apologizing publicly to the young for my comments on First Take yesterday. My bad young fella. I Was not taking a personal shot at you but I could see how it could…
— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) May 28, 2025

"Anthony Edwards is one my favorite players in the league," he wrote on X, formerly Twitter. "I apologized privately, so I’m apologizing publicly to the young (king) for my comments on First Take yesterday. My bad young fella.

"I was not taking a personal shot at you, but I could see how it could have been taken that way."

Edwards hasn't publicly commented on his court situation — nor is he likely to — but with his Minnesota Timberwolves up against the wall facing the Oklahoma City Thunder, he has a chance to strengthen his case for being the "Face of the League."

That is, if he even desires the title.