Erik Spoelstra says Anthony Edwards reminds him of Dwyane Wade: “The way he moves, the way he competes, the way he electrifies the crowd, yes, that reminds me of No. 3”
Anthony Edwards has been the most impressive member of Team USA so far in their tune-up games for the 2023 FIBA World Cup in Manila, Philippines. ANT has displayed not only the ability to score points, but he has also shown that he can take over games when needed.
One of those who has been impressed with Edwards’ performance is Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra, who is an assistant coach for Team USA. During an interview with CNN Philippines, Coach Spo was asked which player on the current U.S. team reminds him of the best player in Miami Heat history, and he didn’t hesitate with his reply:
“Yeah, we know who that is. It’s hard not to look at Anthony Edwards and not see Dwyane Wade in him. And I’m not a guy for comparisons, I’m not. But the way he moves, the way he competes, the way he electrifies the crowd, yes, that reminds me of No. 3, and I have told Anthony that. I feel like I’m going back in time.”
Spo knows D-Wade inside out
The Filipino-American bench tactician has been with the Heat since 1995 when he was hired as video coordinator. He rose from the ranks and became assistant coach two years later. Spo was one of Pat Riley’s deputies when Dwyane Wade led the Heat to their first NBA title in 2006.
When Riley stepped down in 2008, the Godfather handpicked Spo to be his successor. As the first Asian-American head coach in the history of the four major North American sports leagues, Spoelstra turned a 15-67 team into a playoff team during his first NBA season as a head coach.
He then led Miami to four consecutive Finals appearances from 2011 to 2014, winning back-to-back titles in 2012 and 2013 with Wade, LeBron James, and Chris Bosh. Given that he saw D-Wade’s career from start to finish, Spo knows Wade inside out, and there may be no better authority to make Dwyane Wade comparisons than him.
New number, different player
Meanwhile, Edwards has taken the league by storm since he was picked first overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2020 NBA Draft. This past season, Ant-Man posted career-high numbers across the board, including 24.6 points per game while making his first All-Star game appearance.
At the start of this month, Edwards promised to become a “whole different player” after announcing his decision to change his jersey number from No.1 to No.5 at the beginning of the next NBA season. The season doesn’t begin until October, but as early as now, Edwards has been true to his word as he has been playing at a different level for Team USA.
“He does have great work ethic. He has a competitive toughness. He has world-class talent. But he is also willing to be a part of a team and sacrifice to play a role on the team. He’s a fun guy to be around, just really enjoys the moment, plays his best when needed the most, and he can captivate a crowd like so few can. The fans in Manila can experience that in the next three weeks,” Spoelstra concluded.
