Wolves icon Kevin Garnett takes shot at modern NBA players: ‘If I am being honest…’

Anthony Edwards sure spiced things up around the NBA world when he said recently that Michael Jordan was the only player from previous generations who actually had talent. In the latest reaction to his bold claim, Kevin Garnett tried the best to set the record straight and slammed modern athletes in the process. 

During the most recent episode of Ticket & The Truth alongside Paul Pierce, he voiced out his opinion. “If I am being honest, I do not think anybody in this generation could have played like 20 years ago,” expressed the 48-year-old, who played 21 seasons in the league from 1995 to 2016.

“If I am being 100, and this is to Ant, this is to everybody in our league, Tatum, everybody, let me tell y’all something,” he then added. “Twenty years ago, you could not get to a triple step back. Do you hear what I am saying to you? You could not get to a triple step back. And then if you shot that, it had to go in.”

“The skill level has gotten better, but I don’t think it makes you a better player overall.”⁰⁰Kevin Garnett & Paul Pierce respond to Anthony Edwards 'Eras' comment pic.twitter.com/ogPTwzuIFA

— All the Smoke Productions (@allthesmokeprod) August 26, 2024

“Do you know why?” he asked Pierce. “Because we had efficiency, back in the day and it was so hard. It was too physical, and guess what? The league had to come off of it for the flow of movement to be able to have scoring go up, which is why we like to sit here and watch kind of the rat race of the high-paced game right now.”

In a recent interview, Edwards claimed that the Chicago icon was the only player of his time with real skill, a remark that didn’t sit well with fans of the older generations of basketball, nor with the players who defined that era.

The 23-year-old attracted numerous reactions from former players through his viral comment and comparing the current to previous generations. “He was the only one that really had skill,” he referred to Michael Jordan, “That is why when they saw Kobe, they were like, ‘Oh, my God.’ But now everybody has skill.”

The Minnesota star comments came during a discussion where he downplayed the overall talent level of players in the 1990s, suggesting that the game has evolved significantly and that today’s athletes are far more skilled.

Legend Magic Johnson Says He Can’t Take Anthony Edwards Seriously Because He’s Never Won An NBA Championship

Los Angeles Lakers legend Magic Johnson, known for his remarkable career and unyielding competitive spirit, recently responded with force to comments made by Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards. Edwards, who at 23 has already made a name for himself as one of the NBA’s rising talents, found himself in hot water after making controversial statements about the 1990s era of basketball and its legendary players.

“I never respond to a guy who’s never won a championship,” Johnson said. “I’ve got nothing to say. He didn’t win a college championship, I don’t even know if he won a high school championship.”

Johnson’s pointed remarks were a stark reminder of the gap in accomplishments between himself and Edwards. While Edwards has shown promise and confidence in his young career, including a strong performance in last season’s Western Conference Finals where he averaged 24.6 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 7.8 assists, his resume pales in comparison to that of Johnson.

The timing of Johnson’s response also coincides with Edwards’ recent declaration of himself as the “No. 1 option” on Team USA’s squad for the upcoming Paris Games, a bold claim given that the roster includes the likes of LeBron James, Steph Curry, and Kevin Durant.