If there was ever an underdog in the first-ever edition of “USA vs. The World” at All-Star Weekend, it was Team USA Stars. After all, they were younger than USA Stripes, and they had less impressive NBA resumes than Team World.
When the dust settled inside Intuit Dome, it was the USA Stars standing tall. On top of this, the leader of this pack had a stern message to deliver.
Moments after winning All-Star MVP honors, Anthony Edwards was asked to comment on Team World, the lone squad that had failed to secure a victory on Sunday. Ever the fearless competitor that he is, Edwards name-checked not one but two of the most talented icons of this generation.
“No shade towards Luka and Jokić…they’re two of the best players in the league. They’re not trying to play in the All-Star Game,” the Minnesota Timberwolves’ main man said in a post-game interview with NBC analysts.
How did Luka Dončić and Nikola Jokić catch strays from Ant-Man? This on-air diss appears to have been precipitated by the fact that the European buddies played just five minutes apiece that night. These minutes came against Edwards’ USA Stars, and in Team World’s second matchup against USA Stripes, neither Dončić nor Jokić saw action.
In fairness to both All-NBA athletes, the injury bug has prevailed over them in the past few months. Dončić has dealt with calf and hamstring issues, while Jokić has been plagued by a hyperextended knee.
Of course, Edwards’ verbal jab has a deeper subtext: the increasingly hostile environment of the Western Conference. Once the festive mood of All-Star Weekend subsides, Edwards’ Wolves will once again grapple with Dončić's Lakers as they both try to catch up with Jokić's Nuggets near the top of the West standings.
As far as star power is concerned, Edwards is somewhat of an underdog to Dončić and Jokić. Still, Edwards has something going for him that neither Luka Legend nor the Joker can lay claim to. Ant-Man is now an All-Star MVP, and like the defiant team that he led on Sunday, he’s looking to overcome the odds as he seeks an NBA title.
