The king is (almost) dead.

Long live the (next) king.

LeBron James is still amongst us and continues to command the lion’s share of the NBA’s attention. But heirs to his throne are circling, especially in Minnesota, where 22-year-old Anthony Edwards is introducing himself to the general public. “Ant-Man” is here and he looks like “Thee Man.”

Arguments have been raging recently over the NBA’s biggest player of all time as James closes the gap between himself and the supposed GOAT Michael Jordan. James is the league’s all-time leading scorer and, in his twenty first season, has scored more points than another player combined at this point in his profession. At age 39, he averaged 25.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and eight.3 assists, which must have been enough for him to be named to the All-NBA team for the twentieth consecutive 12 months.

But nobody ever said James reminded them of Air Jordan.

It’s no different with Edwards. People cannot stop comparing him to MJ by way of style, athleticism, trash talking and killer mentality. Playing in little-known Minnesota hasn’t helped Edwards to this point, but legends are born in the postseason. When you have made a reputation for yourself, nothing beats two games on the defending champion’s home field.

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“Obviously they (Jordan and Edwards) have a lot of the same mannerisms,” Timberwolves defenseman Mike Conley he said Sport Lisa. “The movements, the fades, the athleticism, the poster dunks, the blocks and the defensive work he does. But the truth is, it is his motivation that is most significant. Same type of work ethic, same type of “I don’t sleep at all at night because I’m ready to play, I’m ready to play.”

The Timberwolves are halfway to the Western Conference Finals and returned home with a win over the Denver Nuggets on Monday. Minnesota has yet to lose in these playoffs, which is a highlight for Edwards. He averaged 31 points in the first round, defeating Kevin Durant and Phoenix, after which began the game with a profession high in the postseason 43 points on Saturday against the Nuggets. He scored 27 points in Game 2 on Monday, putting Denver’s title defense on life support.

Unlike the late great Kobe Bryant, who studied Jordan extensively and have become his closest replica in history, Edwards never intended to replicate his Air. Similarities emerged naturally, built on outrageous physical abilities and insane work ethic, leading to inevitable comparisons around the world. hoop and next wing.

We’ve seen this story before.

Fans and media began looking next Jordan before the original retired (for the first time) in 1993. Victims included busts like Harold “Baby Jordan” Miner and All-Stars like Grant Hill. Particularly susceptible to labeling were Jerry Stackhouse and Vince Carter, amongst others, who followed Jordan at North Carolina. Bryant welcomed this characterization and carried it well.

Edwards prefers not to go there.

“I want this to end,” Edwards said. “It’s the biggest ever. I can not be compared to him.”

Maybe he’ll; his thoughts on the matter are irrelevant. Conversations about sports are driven by questions like “what have you done recently” and “what can you do next?” Stars rise and fade, and we’re addicted to sorting them into generational rankings, lists, and tiers. There’s nothing we will do about it.

Big men have their very own category, and San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama (7-foot-4) poses a threat to beat all his predecessors, while Denver’s Nikola Jokic is climbing the charts. But 7-foot players aren’t as easily identified as shooting guards who can grab a rebound and go coast-to-coast or pass a defender at knee.

Technically, there won’t ever be one other Jordan or an all-time great player. Players exit on the pitch, do their thing and rack up the numbers in their very own individual style. And while nobody thinks Robert Horry (seven rings) is higher than Jordan (six rings), winning championships is also a separator.

Edwards is fighting for his first NBA title with no certainty that he’ll ever win it. History is full of wonderful players who didn’t make it, including Hall of Famers Elgin Baylor, Karl Malone and Charles Barkley. There is no shame in being on this list if Edwards suffers this fate.

But he’s running a bona fide challenger now in his fourth season, in an attention grabbing way that means he’s just began and has no intention of stopping anytime soon. He is competing with Wemby, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luka Dončić for the title of “next face of the league”, the only American of the 4. However, nobody else is closer to becoming the next MJ.

Whether you prefer it or not, “Ant Man” is that guy.

Sit back and revel in.