"His game needs to get to the Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan stage" - Jay Williams shares what Anthony Edwards needs to add to his game to be unstoppable

Yahoo

a day ago

"His game needs to get to the Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan stage" - Jay Williams shares what Anthony Edwards needs to add to his game to be unstoppable originally appeared on Basketball Network.
Anthony Edwards' game often evokes shades of Michael Jordan, but for Jay Williams, athleticism alone isn't enough. He argues that the ability to dominate from the post separates the Chicago Bulls legend. That's where Ant-Man's trajectory must go if he aims to fly in rarefied air.
Advertisement
"If you keep putting those highlights in a side-by-side box, we're gonna see something that talks about the next iteration of Ant," the ESPN analyst said on First Take. "In every play that you're going to see, it's him at the top of the key, him trying to dance off the dribble, him trying to take long threes. His game needs to go to the Kobe Bryant stage, the Michael Jordan stage."
"If Anthony Edwards learns how to play with his back to the basket, the game will be over for the rest of the league," the former Duke Blue Devil declared.
The pros and cons
Ant has been known for his hops and highlight-reel plays from the get-go and gradually improved as a knockdown shooter from deep. He connected on nearly 40 percent of his 10.3 attempts from deep, almost doubling his rainbow output from the previous season.
Advertisement
As Edwards vowed to work extra hard this offseason, Williams thinks improving his post-up game should be time well spent. It will do wonders for reading double teams, creating opportunities for his teammates while providing opportunities for him to conserve energy.
"You can see the double team coming off the left shoulder; if you're on the right side, you can see it coming off the right shoulder. You can hit pinpoint passes for threes. It actually sets up your teammates a ton better. And by the way, it increases your probability of getting to the free-throw line, and you don't exert much energy on offense trying to dance with the ball, trying to get to your spots," Williams explained.
Of course, it would be fantastic for Edwards' game to diversify his portfolio, so to speak. That said, it doesn't come without challenges. Having two non-shooting bigs like Rudy Gobert and Julius Randle could congest the lane, limiting the 6'4 guard's space to operate. While Randle has adjusted better alongside Ant in the playoffs, Gobert's presence might undercut the very advantages a post-up game is meant to create.
Moreover, defenses might easily collapse on him, forcing him to take tough, inefficient shots or commit turnovers. It could also detract from the Georgia product's natural strengths in transition and on the move, where his explosiveness is most effective. Over time, the physical toll of constant post-play could affect his durability, especially if he's matched against bigger, stronger defenders.
Much work to be done
Becoming a post-up savant like MJ or Kobe Bryant requires much work and a different mindset. Edwards barely plays in the post, as shown by the stats at NBA.com. Ant averaged only 0.4 post-ups a game in the 2024-25 season, which put him around the 26th percentile. Additionally, he scores only 0.86 points per possession in these opportunities, hitting 30.8 percent of his attempts.
Advertisement
Meanwhile, "The Black Mamba" and "His Airness" practically lived in the post, especially during their later years. Bryant even sought guidance from Hakeem Olajuwon to further refine his skills from that part of the floor, while Jordan's mid-post fadeaway was just as beautiful as it was deadly.
If Edwards decides to embrace Williams' advice, he will be playing the long game. He must integrate new habits into his rhythm and figure out how to make them work with the personnel around him. However, as he continues to evolve, there's no harm in adding another weapon to the arsenal, especially one borrowed from the greats.
Related: "Nobody's going to work harder than me this summer" - Anthony Edwards promises to bounce back after another WCF heartbreak
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on May 29, 2025, where it first appeared.