LeBron James just made history-again. His 22nd All-Star appearance is now in the books, but for the first time in his storied career, he came off the bench.
That ends a jaw-dropping streak of 21 straight All-Star starts, a run that speaks volumes about his longevity and dominance. But while the moment was historic, it didn’t come without a little heat-especially from one of the league’s rising stars.
Enter Anthony Edwards.
The 24-year-old Timberwolves guard has never been one to hold back, and he didn’t change that tune after Team Stars rolled to a commanding 47-21 win. When asked about sharing the court with some of the game’s greats, Edwards didn’t go the typical route of reverence. Instead, he gave the flowers to a different young phenom: Victor Wembanyama.
“I ain’t gonna lie, uh, Wimby set the tone,” Edwards said. “He came out playing hard and, you know, we had to follow that and, uh, we had to pick it up as a red team and we did that.”
That’s a statement. Not just because it skips over LeBron, but because it highlights how the league’s next generation isn’t just showing up-they’re setting the pace.
And Edwards wasn’t done.
When asked about facing off against LeBron-specifically when the four-time champ was guarding him-Edwards didn’t blink. “I want to cook them every time. You know that,” he said with a grin.
That’s classic Ant. Confident, borderline brash, but backed up by performance.
Edwards didn’t just talk the talk-he walked it too. He finished the All-Star game with eight points, four rebounds, and two assists, but more importantly, he led Team Stars to the win and walked away with All-Star MVP honors. That means he also took home the Kobe Bryant Trophy, a symbolic moment for a player who’s rapidly becoming one of the league’s most electrifying talents.
And if that wasn’t enough, Edwards followed up his All-Star performance with another strong showing in the overtime win against Team World, adding 13 points to his tally.
We’ve known for a while that Edwards is built for the spotlight. He’s got the charisma, the confidence, and the game to match. Whether he’s cracking jokes with fans or going toe-to-toe with legends, he’s always himself-and that authenticity resonates.
But what’s becoming clearer with each passing game is that Edwards isn’t just a rising star. He’s becoming the star. And if this All-Star weekend was any indication, the league’s future is in very good-and very bold-hands.