Anthony Edwards Says He'd Beat Wemby in 1-on-1, Eyes Dunking on Spurs Star and Talks 'Face of NBA'

Fresh off his on-court encounter with the San Antonio Spurs big man, Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards would relish the opportunity to challenge Victor Wembanyama one-on-one.

"I loved it," he said of battling Wembanyama in Saturday's 126-123 loss, per The Athletic's Jared Weiss and Jon Krawczynski. "I wish we could've just moved everybody out of the way and just checked up and me versus him."

The supremely confident Edwards asserted he'd be the victor in a head-to-head battle with Wemby.

The three-time All-Star had 55 points in a losing effort against San Antonio. Wembanyama, meanwhile, finished with 39 points and nine rebounds.

Ant and Wemby THRILLER

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Edwards said he was a little more amped for this game because of who was on the other side of the court.

"They got Wemby. He's supposed to be the face of the league," he said. "I always gotta get up for that one."

However, Edwards is happy to cede that ceremonial title to Wembanyama.

"I feel like you gotta carry this … whatever it is … on your shoulders that people want you to be and I'm gonna be myself no matter what," he said. "I don't want too much pressure."

In general, this is the swagger the 24-year-old has possessed from the moment he entered the NBA in 2020.

Netflix's Starting 5 series included an incredible piece of theater in its first season. The Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James implies he might retire when a suitable successor emerges. The scene immediately cuts to Edwards pulling out of his garage in a Lamborghini and saying off-screen he wants to "cook LeBron one-on-one."

Of course he'd see Wembanyama as a measuring stick, quite literally in this case.

Edwards said he wants to dunk over the 7'4" Frenchman, and Wemby will be waiting for him under the basket.

"(Edwards is) just trying to dunk on everybody, so I'm not an exception," he said, per Weiss and Krawczynski. "And I'll be up for the challenge, of course. If he's got a good momentum, and if I'm just a little bit late, he might be not very forgiving, but it's fine. I'll try. Over the years, I will try to block him more than he does on me."

Plenty of fans have questioned who will fill the void left by LeBron when he finally does retire. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokić, two of the most obvious candidates, are into their 30s.

As the overwhelming MVP winner and an NBA champion from a season ago, the Oklahoma City Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander makes a compelling case.

But the people who craft the NBA's ad campaigns have to see dollar signs every time Edwards gives a public soundbite. Building a compelling rivalry with Wembanyama would be even better.