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. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

Ex-NBA Champion's Controversial Anthony Edwards Statement

Originally posted on New Orleans Pelicans on SI
By Logan Struck | Last updated May 27, 2025 1:27 PM ET

The Minnesota Timberwolves lost Game 4 against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday night to fall behind 3-1 in the Western Conference Finals, highlighted by Anthony Edwards scoring just 16 points on 5-13 shooting from the field.

With LeBron James and Steph Curry's time in the NBA winding down, the biggest conversation has been about the next "face of the league," and many people have turned to Anthony Edwards to step up into that space. However, there have been more and more questions about the reality of that.

Brad Rempel-Imagn Images

Of course, Edwards and the Timberwolves are on the verge of their second straight Western Conference Finals loss, but ESPN analyst and former New Orleans Pelicans center Kendrick Perkins' concern about Edwards stems from off the court.

"You gotta check the boxes when you're the face of the league... You've got to be a role model," Perkins said. "Things outside the lines matter. Now, if you go down the list of all the faces of the league in the history of the game — you look at Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Shaq, LeBron, Steph — what did they all have in common? While they were playing in the league, they were all family men. They were all married with kids."

"You gotta check the boxes when you're the face of the league… Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Shaq, LeBron [James], Steph [Curry]… they all were family men. They all were married with kids."

Kendrick Perkins on Anthony Edwards.pic.twitter.com/yt2ZdbI5Xs
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 27, 2025

Edwards certainly has enough on-court presence and off-court personality to be the "face of the league," but Perkins is not wrong about a superstar at that level being a role model. Edwards has had his fair share of off-the-court issues, and that type of stuff could certainly hinder him from entering the same conversation as some of the greatest ever.

Of course, Edwards is only 23 years old and has plenty of time to grow, while Perkins was brutally honest about where he stands right now.

This article first appeared on New Orleans Pelicans on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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