Anthony Edwards on why he's not passing the ball as much as he could

[Sgt Major]

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I tried not to make a click-baiting title of the thread, but that's impossible with a statement like this one.

Edwards had plenty to say after the game about the double teams he was facing. Speaking with reporters, including Dane Moore, Edwards said he wasn't interested in a playing style that required him to pass out of double teams:

"That's a good brand of basketball, but it's not how I want to play, of course. I'm only 23, I don't want to just be passing the ball all night. ... But the way that they're guarding me, I think I have to."

Edwards also said it was "super hard" to stay engaged while being double-teamed and that he isn't sure what to do:

"Them doubling me, definitely it's like, 'Bro, what is going on?' I'm trying to figure it out ... I don't know what to do honestly, but it's not fun. I don't want to look like I'm not trying or not as good as I am, because I am, but I can't show it because I'm getting double-teamed.

"It's definitely frustrating to see these guys cooking us and I can't cook them."

https://sports.yahoo.com/anthony-edwards-airs-frustrations-over-getting-double-teamed-i-dont-know-what-to-do-honestly-050854130.html?.tsrc=fp_deeplink

[Bergmaniac]

He is right, everyone knows only old guys like passing the ball.

[Optms]

He's a scorer. He just needs to stop chucking so many 3's. Last thing the game needed was one of the more unique wing players of today playing like everyone else. He's part of the reason the game is worse now too.

[Chuck Everett]

[Pelly24]

man Ant's game is like ... being kind of exposed for where it is right now. Like every great player gets doubled.

[lethalizer]

I don't like the "hating" nicknames, but after this interview the man deserves it.

"Can't man" is just spouting stuff at this point.

[Muskies97]

Sadly ANT is way closer to Donovan Mitchell than Luka/Shai, and idk if he has the BBIQ or decision making chops to ever elevate his game into that MVP caliber tier.

[GSWFan1994]

What strikes me watching this video is that Ant's hands are huge, almost Kawhi-like.

[dhsilv2]

Sadly ANT is way closer to Donovan Mitchell than Luka/Shai, and idk if he has the BBIQ or decision making chops to ever elevate his game into that MVP caliber tier.

Great players abuse offense's when they double team. ANT just doesn't see that yet, it's not about getting rid of the ball. But dumping it off in a way that the offense is now in a better situation. Now some of this is also on the coach. Get the man comfortable in that you've got a plan to burn teams if they do this.

[BruttoNostra]

Booker mentality.
Soft af.

[Infinite Llamas]

Lmao I still remember the MJ comparisons…

This guy is closer to Stackhouse than Jordan.

[EmpireFalls]

Sorry but if you can’t read a defense as a guard then you aren’t gonna be a superstar.

[cgf]

I'm confused by some of these reactions, but I do appreciate Ant's candor in general, so see nothing negative about him discussing the difficulties he's had learning to be more of a creator.

Not like he's saying he doesn't want to pass or he's complaining about having to be a creator. He's just being open about that not how he's learned to play so far, and that's he's struggling with certain aspects of learning to deal with this kind of attention as the main on-ball creator for his team.

In long run, it will be very useful in unlocking Ant as a lead guard and not just an #1 option scorer if he can figure this out and learn to affect the game without the ball / how to stay engaged when creating for his team-mates.

[Woodsanity]

Sadly ANT is way closer to Donovan Mitchell than Luka/Shai, and idk if he has the BBIQ or decision making chops to ever elevate his game into that MVP caliber tier.

Hes not even a donovan mitchell lets be honest. Mitchell has higher bball iq and is a far better passer.

[holdenwait]

kinda tired of this guy already..a lot of yapping and him and Wolves always ruin the parlay with some bottle job didn't help that this forum and the recency bias addicted online opinion at large was trying to sell him as MJ 2.0 after 1 ok playoffs showing lol

[cgf]

Sadly ANT is way closer to Donovan Mitchell than Luka/Shai, and idk if he has the BBIQ or decision making chops to ever elevate his game into that MVP caliber tier.

Hes not even a donovan mitchell lets be honest. Mitchell has higher bball iq and is a far better passer.

He's also a lot less experienced than Mitchell. Not just being so much younger, but having been more focused on football until college and having been drafted as a very raw lump of clay. Minny has done a good job of gradually increasing his responsibilities and he's done a great job of progressing since being drafted...but we'll see if he has that next step in him to go from deadly #1 scoring option to deadly lead guard / offensive hub.

[SkyBill40]

He should quit his whining and take it in stride. If a coach thinks enough of you to send a double your way constantly, you're seen as a high value threat to their success. Yeah, I get it's annoying and all that... but it is what it is. Adapt, overcome, and shut your mouth. If your game is strong enough, it'll speak for you.

[KazuoOda]

Sadly ANT is way closer to Donovan Mitchell than Luka/Shai, and idk if he has the BBIQ or decision making chops to ever elevate his game into that MVP caliber tier.

Spida doesn't have a problem with beating multiple defenders and scoring or passing out of a double team....

[cgf]

Lmao I still remember the MJ comparisons…

This guy is closer to Stackhouse than Jordan.

The MJ comps were always silly...but tell me again about how intuitive of a playmaker a 23yo Jordan was, or how comfortable he was giving up the ball to be a decoy for his teammates.

[cgf]

He should quit his whining and take it in stride. If a coach thinks enough of you to send a double your way constantly, you're seen as a high value threat to their success. Yeah, I get it's annoying and all that... but it is what it is. Adapt, overcome, and shut your mouth. If your game is strong enough, it'll speak for you.

Whining? Are folks watching the video or just reacting to the twitter description? Ant was asked a question about being double and having to give up the ball, before being asked a follow up question. It's not like he called a press conference to lodge an official complaint