Alpha Ant is here

Every day that Team USA spends on the other side of the Pacific Ocean, Edwards establishes himself deeper as the leader and alpha of the squad. And there’s no sign that will change. At the postgame press conference, following their win this morning, Ant sat down next to head coach Steve Kerr and showed his off-court it-factor.

Assembled media ooh’d, awe’d and laughed; entranced with the 22-year-old budding superstar, while he expressed a nonchalant confidence about beating whoever Team USA matches up against during bracket play and as he explained why he doesn’t feel “pressure” playing basketball.

"I think we're going to win… our confidence is at an all-time high so we're not really worried about those guys."

Anthony Edwards on Team USA facing Montenegro and Lithuania in the second round of the FIBA World Cup

(via @INQUIRERSports)pic.twitter.com/mHx9aOLc9k

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) August 30, 2023

“I mean… I think we’re gonna win. We’re unbeaten also. So yeah, I think we got a great chance to win. We’ve got a great coaching staff, we’ve got great players. Our confidence is at an all-time high. We’re not really worried about those guys.”

"Pressure? Not at all." 🗣️ Anthony Edwards#FIBAWC x #WinForAll pic.twitter.com/IN1dio97md

— FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 🏆 (@FIBAWC) August 30, 2023

“Pressure? Ah… nah, not at all. I love the game of basketball. It’s fun for me, man. I go out there and do what I love. I put in the work everyday. So no, it’s no pressure at all.”

When asked if anyone on the team can top Kevin Durant’s Team USA single-game scoring record of 38 points (9/11/2010), Edwards didn’t make any guarantees. But he made it clear he’s going to try.

Our @Urbodo asked 🇺🇸 Anthony Edwards who on the current roster could beat Kevin Durant’s single game scoring record…

All we can say is, watch out @KDTrey5, Ant is coming 😄#FIBAWC #WinForAll pic.twitter.com/LF8pdN64Pg

— BasketNews (@BasketNews_com) August 30, 2023

“You mean beating KD’s record? Man, he’s probably one of the greatest players (ever), so it’s gonna be tough. But I’m gonna try. Yeah, for sure. I’m gonna try (laughs)”

What’s next for Anthony Edwards?

Minnesota Timberwolves fans, who have watched Anthony Edwards grow into the alpha he’s now proving to be over the last few years, are no surprised to see the rest of the basketball world falling in love with him as the leader of Team USA. Ant is the total package, both on and off the court.

Now, he has to finish his international mission by leading the USA to a FIBA World Cup gold medal. Then, carry his new alpha dog mentality into training camp with the Wolves, which will begin shortly after the World Cup championship game ends.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

Anthony Edwards wasn’t in Team USA’s starting lineup right away

In fact, according to The Athletic, Ant wasn’t even in the starting lineup when Steve Kerr first divvied out roles for Team USA, at the start of training camp on August 3. Apparently, half of the team’s coaching staff didn’t think the former #1 overall pick was worthy of a starting job.

When training camp started in Las Vegas on Aug. 3, the coaching staff was in agreement that Brunson, Bridges, Ingram and Jaren Jackson Jr. should start. But when Team USA played its first scrimmage, it was Johnson, and not Edwards, out there with the starting five.

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The room was split on Edwards, and it isn’t clear as to exactly why. At least some of the decision makers were confident Edwards would emerge as one of USA’s dominant players, looking at Edwards’ body of work in the Timberwolves’ spirited, five-game playoff loss to the Denver Nuggets in which he averaged nearly 32 points.

Joe Vardon – The Athletic

Edwards didn’t want to come off the bench

So, as the story goes, Kerr sat Ant down before Team USA’s first scrimmage for a conversation about coming off the bench. He pointed to Dwayne Wade coming off the bench for the 2008 Olympic “Redeem Team” that featured LeBron James and Kobe Bryant in the starting lineup.

Wade led Team USA in points per game (16). He was used as the main source of offense for the 2nd team and he was on the floor late in closer, more meaningful games. But Ant isn’t stupid. The 2023 FIBA version of Team USA doesn’t have a Kobe, which is what he told The Athletic, when asked about his role when he initially arrived in Las Vegas.

On Thursday, Edwards said Kerr had called him before the start of camp and “he was telling me about coming off the bench.

“I mean, of course I wasn’t cool with it,” Edwards said. “If that’s what it takes, I mean, I am willing to do it, but nah, I’m never cool with that. … He said Dwyane Wade came off the bench when Kobe played. I was like, all right, we don’t have a Kobe, but all right. But it was cool.”

Anthony Edwards (via The Athletic)

This story from The Athletic dropped on Thursday morning. Before noon hit in the central time zone, Bleacher Report aggregated it with the headline, Anthony Edwards: ‘Wasn’t Cool with’ Steve Kerr’s Plan to Bring Me off Team USA Bench.

Ant sets record straight on what he told Steve Kerr

In response, Edwards took to his Instagram story to set the record straight. He called the headline chasers from Bleacher Report “losers” and told them to “beat it”, noting that his quotes in The Athletic were only his thoughts, after being told by Kerr that he would come off the bench, not what he actually said to his Team USA head coach in the moment.

Anthony edwards Responds To bleacher report post about him being benched:

“I ain’t even say that to Steve man, that’s my dog we speak everyday….y’all some loser man, beat it”pic.twitter.com/NsKtQwUAZF https://t.co/DNzweMzqex

— Jaden McDaniels GOAT (@JadenMcDanielsF) August 24, 2023

“Y’all losers beat it, man. Y’all taking that little comment too far. I didn’t even say that to Steve Kerr. I was only thinking that when he told me I was coming off the bench. Y’all doing too much, y’all going to far. That’s my dawg. Me and Steve Kerr locked in. Know what I’m sayin? We talk everyday. I hate y’all. Y’all always doing that, bruh. Damn bruh… it’s just an interview… Go on about your business, bruh. Ya’ll some losers man, beat it.”

Anthony Edwards (via Instagram story above)

By the time Team USA played their first exhibition game, just four days later vs Puerto Rico, Edwards was in the starting lineup and scored a team-high 15 points and he hasn’t looked back. There’s no longer any doubt about whether or not Ant is a starter or one of the best players in the World Cup this summer.

I like that Edwards is willing to punch back clearly and defiantly in moments like this. He’s a great player and an awesome teammate. Thus, I can’t blame him for taking offense to how his quotes were twisted. Ant is as real as it gets and I appreciate that about him.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan