Anthony Edwards is drawing some of the boldest comparisons in the NBA. The Minnesota Timberwolves’ star is known for his efficiency and work ethic. While he considers Michael Jordan the greatest to play the game, he often downplays comparisons between them. After getting some advice from His Airness before this season, following it, and witnessing his game improving, Edwards has just gotten to know what Jordan really thinks of him, words that he will remember for the rest of his life.

Edwards sat down with legendary broadcaster Ahmad Rashad on Friday, and there Rashad revealed a private conversation that he had with Jordan.

“He said he loves his passion on both ends, that you have,” Rashad said. “He said you need to continue improving on your game, accepting challenges, and thriving. He knows that you’re the type of person who has determination.”

While hearing these things from Jordan, Edwards had a big smile on his face as he shook his head in agreement.

Rashad is the gold standard of NBA journalism. He has maintained a close relationship with Jordan since his playing days in Chicago. Even after his retirement, Rashad remains in touch with him. Therefore, he has often had unique access to Jordan’s perspective on current NBA players.

In this case, Edwards has been gradually growing into a leader of the Timberwolves. His unique superstar personality has often forced people to compare him with Jordan. Recently, he drained a clutch three-pointer against the Los Angeles Clippers. Following the shot, he shouted towards the Timberwolves’ head coach, Chris Finch, who repeatedly told him to pass the ball after seeing him miss a three-pointer a couple of plays ago from the same position.

Edwards relishes these clutch moments and has been evolving as a leader, and therefore, the comparisons with a young Jordan aren’t entirely wrong.

NBA champion wants Anthony Edwards to ‘smartly’ follow Michael Jordan’s footprint

Three-time NBA champion Bruce Bowen believes that Anthony Edwards‘ fiery confidence is not something negative. He feels that there are similarities with Michael Jordan in that regard, but he wants the Timberwolves guard to follow the six-time NBA champion more closely and learn a few lessons from his career.

Bowen supports Edwards’ decision to take the onus of the result on himself by shooting the winning three-pointer. At the same time, he also believes the youngster should strike a balance between the two, highlighting that he should pass the ball when a teammate is open, as his coach suggested.

“What stands out about Anthony Edwards right now is that whole confrontation with the coach, people made more of it than they should have, but there are many times coaches are going to say pass, hit the open man,” Bowen said on The Right Times podcast. “But to see his fire like, ‘No, I got this. This is what I do.’ Yes, it is.”

Bowen continues to share an anecdote from Jordan’s time with the Bulls, when he passed to John Paxson to seal Game 6 of the 1993 NBA Finals, the first of the Bulls’ three-peat. The sequence is a lesson for Anthony Edwards. While Jordan was basking in the glory of being a superstar for the Bulls, opposition defenders often used to crowd him in attacks, but he was willing to trust his teammates, just like he did with Paxson in this instance, to close out the game.

Bowen wants Edwards to develop such chemistry with his teammates. It is an aspect that he needs to work on if he aims to win the championship with Minnesota.