'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Michael Jordan is considered by many to be the greatest basketball player to have ever lived. One of the players being compared with Jordan is Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards.
In an appearance on the 'Basketball Society' podcast, renowned prospect specialist in the NBA and NCAA Rashad Phillips explained why he believes Edwards reminds him of Jordan. Phillips also noted that Edwards is not the next Jordan, but he has the same aura as the legend.
"I think when people use the Michael Jordan comparison, I think they're just talking about the fabric of his game. I don't think they're comparing the career when you look at Anthony Edwards," Phillips said.
"A lot of times when I see certain comparisons, I try to dig deeper into comparison and understand it. When you look at Anthony Edwards, he is cut from that shooting guard cloth that he really embraces who he is, and it kinda gives you that Michael Jordan vibe," Phillips added.
Anthony Edwards is just in his second season in the league, but he is already exhibiting superstar potential. Edwards is averaging 22.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.5 steals per game. He's just 20, and is only going to improve further if he continues to have the right mindset.
A back at players who were dubbed the next Michael Jordan
Ever since Michael Jordan entered the NBA in 1984, countless players have been dubbed the next Jordan. Most of these players never panned out that way, but a few came quite close. Here are some of the players who were called the next Jordan, and how did their careers unfolded:
Len Bias
A basketball star out of Maryland, Len Bias was drafted second overall by the Boston Celtics in the 1986 NBA Draft. He was compared with Jordan due to his athleticism and explosiveness.
However, Bias never played in the NBA, as he expired due to a drug overdose two days after getting drafted.
Roy Marble
Drafted 23rd overall in 1989, Roy Marble played just one full season in the NBA and a five-game stint four years later.
Marble was compared with Jordan during his college days in Iowa from 1985 to 1989. However, he never had the same impact in the NBA, playing most of his career overseas.
Grant Hill
With Michael Jordan retiring at the end of the 1993 NBA season, the league was looking for its next superstar.
Grant Hill was that player, and he showed glimpses of it early in his career. Hill dominated during his time with the Detroit Pistons, but ankle injuries plagued his prime. He did get inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2018, though.
Kobe Bryant
Technically, Kobe Bryant was never compared with Michael Jordan during his early days as a high school star. However, Bryant did become the second coming of Jordan, as he had the same drive and competitiveness.
He was literally a carbon copy of Jordan, becoming an idol to the next generation of NBA players.
LeBron James
Before entering the NBA in 2003, LeBron James was called 'The Chosen One', with the media crowning him as the real successor to Jordan.
Fast forward 19 years, James has come the closest to taking the mantle of GOAT from Jordan. The two have completely different styles, but James has achieved a lot to be called one of the NBA's greatest ever players.
