Anthony Edwards ascended to a new level of stardom during the 2024 NBA playoffs. The 22-year-old led the Minnesota Timberwolves to the Western Conference finals, but they were not able to make it past Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks.
Doncic is a five-time NBA All-Star and is widely regarded as one of the best players in the league. The Mavericks blew out the Timberwolves in Game 5 of the conference finals and advanced to the NBA Finals. After the game, Doncic met up with Edwards, and the two shook hands and had a brief chat.
However, some fans couldn’t help but point out the similarities between Doncic’s and Edward’s link-up and Michael Jordan and Larry Bird’s infamous 1998 postgame exchange.
Jordan and the Chicago Bulls outlasted the Indiana Pacers, who were coached by Bird at the time, in the 1998 Eastern Conference finals. After the Bulls prevailed 88-83 in Game 7 to win the series, Jordan and Bird were seen smiling and shaking hands in a hallway. But Jordan used the moment to talk some trash to his former on-court rival.
The 2020 docuseries “The Last Dance” highlighted the exchange. “You b–, f– you,” Jordan told Bird. “Y’all gave us a run for our money.”
Author and NBA fan Shea Serrano posted a screenshot of the epic moment between the two NBA legends. “Time is a flat circle,” he quipped on X.
Other fans also took to social media to chime in on the parallels.
“Last dance 2 gonna be so fun to watch with my grandkids in 30 years,” a person wrote on X.
“[T]he new MJ & Bird,” another person noted.
One fan pointed out Doncic’s trash-talking reputation, saying, “Luka trash talk like Bird, that’s for sure,” the fan wrote.
Despite the heartbreaking series loss, Edwards remained optimistic about his team’s prospects going forward.
“It’s fun, man. I love it,” Edwards told reporters after Game 5. “I wish we could still play. I wish we were going back to Dallas for Game 6. But it’s super fun, and I’m looking forward to being back right in this situation next year.”
The morning after the Timberwolves were eliminated from the postseason, Adidas premiered a commercial which featured Edwards showing the receipts from his critics he keeps. Former NBA player Carmelo Anthony was one of the critics Edwards clapped back at.
During Anthony’s “7PM in Brooklyn” podcast, the former New York Knicks star questioned whether Edwards was worthy of being considered the face of the NBA, given how “loosely” the title is thrown around. The podcast’s X account replied to Adidas’ post which a gif of 50 Cent, and later posted a clip of Anthony saying Edwards could be the face of the league “if he wants it.”
The Mavericks will face the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals. The series begins on June 6 in Boston.