Lance Stephenson has never been accused of lacking confidence, and he made quite a bold statement recently. Stephenson stated that Anthony Edwards is his favorite player and that he reminds him of himself.
“My favorite player right now is Anthony Edwards. He reminds me of me with the super green light.”
Stephenson also added that he loves watching Edwards play and believes they both have that "dog" in them. While you might agree with their attitudes and approach being somewhat similar, there isn't a whole lot else about the Minnesota Timberwolves star that reminds you of Stephenson.
At his best, Stephenson was a good role player in the NBA. The 2013-14 season was his finest in the league, as he averaged 13.8 points, 7.2 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 0.7 steals per game for the Indiana Pacers. The reason why he wasn't given the super green light was that he just wasn't good enough to earn it.
Edwards, on the other hand, is more than good enough to get that green light. The 22-year-old is averaging 26.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game this season and has led the Timberwolves to a 40-17 record. He is way more athletic than Stephenson was and is a lot more skilled too.
NBA Fans Hilariously Reacted To Stephenson's Comments
Stephenson's comments went viral, and as you might imagine, NBA fans had some hilarious reactions to them.
One showed how Edwards would react to this.
A fan said every NBA player needs Stephenson's confidence.
One joked that Stephenson is First Team All-Confidence.
A fan said Stephenson gave himself the green light on the court.
One fan called out Stephenson for making it about himself.
Stephenson is unlikely to be bothered by any of this. For those wondering what he is up to right now, the 33-year-old plays for the Timberwolves' G League affiliate, the Iowa Wolves. Stephenson signed with them this season after a stint in Puerto Rico and is averaging 15.1 points, 7.6 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 0.7 steals per game.
Anthony Edwards Believes He Is The Best Player In The NBA
Getting back to Edwards, he actually made a bold statement of his own recently. During All-Star weekend, Edwards said he is the best player in the NBA. Much like Stephenson, he has also never been accused of lacking confidence, and this was a classic example of it.
Do I think he is the best player in the NBA? Definitely not, but he could be someday. Edwards has all the skills and has that mentality as well that you need to reach the top. It will take a few years, however, for the two-time All-Star to get to that point, as there are so many great players in the NBA.
Edwards isn't quite at the level of Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Joel Embiid, who are generally regarded as the three best players in the league. He can start to inch closer to them by having an exceptional postseason in 2024, and I wouldn't bet against him doing just that.
Edwards averaged 31.6 points per game in the first round against Jokic and the Denver Nuggets last season, but the Timberwolves still lost in five games. They are a much better team now, and I think Edwards is more than capable of taking them on a deep playoff run.
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