Anthony Edwards may have just solidified himself as the next face of the NBA.
The Timberwolves superstar not only led Minnesota to its second-best record in franchise history, but he also helped the Wolves sweep the sixth-seeded Suns in the first round of the playoffs, averaging 31 points per game.
Edwards has established himself as a cornerstone for the Minnesota franchise and is arguably the best player under 25. His latest performance has further elevated him into the upper echelon of NBA players.
Between his playoff performances, memes, and rumors, Edwards is the latest to be pinned as Michael Jordan’s son. Jimmy Butler went through a similar set of rumors during his 2023 NBA Playoffs run in which he led the Miami Heat to the NBA Finals.
The Sporting News breaks down the Edwards-Jordan rumors and determines whether it’s true.
MORE: Anthony Edwards, Michael Jordan photo comparison
Is Anthony Edwards related to Michael Jordan?
No, Edwards isn’t related to Jordan in any capacity. The rumors that Jordan is Edwards’ father are false, but that hasn’t stopped the internet from pushing this agenda.
Like father, like son. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/21vq3U9wkb
— NBACentel (@TheNBACentel) April 29, 2024
Edwards was born to his mother, Chrisha Yvette Edwards, and father, Roger Caruth. His mother died due to cancer while Edwards was in eighth grade, and his father is not in the picture. His grandmother, who helped raise Edwards, also died of cancer less than a year later.
“And my grandma, she was like our backbone,” Edwards said. “She did everything for us. When we didn’t have money or lights and couldn’t pay the bills, she would always come through.”
Although Caruth wasn’t very active in Edwards’ upbringing, he was the one who gave Edwards his “Ant-Man” nickname.
MORE: Is Jimmy Butler related to Michael Jordan?
Edwards grew up as the youngest child with two older brothers, Bubba and Antoine,, and sister, Antoinette. After their mother and grandma died, Antoine and Antoinette were given custody of their brother.
“My older siblings kind of just took care of me and made sure I was all right,” Edwards said in the second episode of ‘Pass The Rock.’ “I just don’t trust people. The people I came in with is the people I’m gonna stay with. I’m not adding no other people to my circle. I think that’s the point of having siblings is to be there for each other.”
Where did the Anthony Edwards-Michael Jordan rumor come from?
Misinformation can be easily spread, especially on X, which allows users to pay for verification checkmarks. There are spoof accounts imitating reporters or other highly-reputable pages that were created with the intention of fooling readers for a good laugh.
That’s essentially the situation, here. An account under the username “@TheNBACentel” is a spin-off of the popular NBA Central or “@TheDunkCentral.”
At first glance, users may recognize the logo and name, but it is different. “NBA Centel” posted a false quote about Jordan sleeping with multiple women in 2001, the year in which Edwards was born. The page even credited the real Stephen A. Smith to increase the report’s believability.
Michael Jordan says he was sleeping with 3-5 women per day during the 2001 season:
“It was during my later years, women were coming to me left and right, I have kids out there I haven’t met and I’m sure one of them is currently in the NBA.”
(Via @stephenasmith) pic.twitter.com/bgTTmxr4PW
— NBACentel (@TheNBACentel) April 22, 2024
The rumor about Jordan and Edwards’ connection started last year in March. Edwards joined an exclusive club of youngest players to score 40 points, and a user commented with a side-by-side comparison of the two players’ faces.
— dkb (@dkb_hd) March 19, 2021
While untrue, many are running with the rumor.
After all, Edwards has a similar stature to Jordan, plays the same position, and heightens his game in the playoffs. The 6-4 Timberwolves shooting guard is 225 pounds, which compares to Jordan’s 6-6, 216-pound frame.
Anthony Edwards vs. Michael Jordan stats
Aside from looks and stature, Edwards has also earned the comparison to Jordan because he’s an exciting shooting guard, especially in the playoffs. Here’s the stats comparison from both player’s fourth year in the league.
| Anthony Edwards | Stats | Michael Jordan |
| 25.9 | PPG | 35.0* |
| 5.4 | RPG | 5.5 |
| 5.1 | APG | 5.9 |
| 1.3 | SPG | 3.2* |
| 0.5 | BPG | 1.6 |
| 3.1 | TO | 3.1 |
| 46.1% | FG% | 53.5% |
| 35.7% | 3PT% | 13.2% |
| 83.6% | FT% | 94.1% |
| All-Star | Awards | MVP, DPOY, All-Star |
*Led NBA