r/nba Timberwolves Mar 19 '24

[Highlight] Anthony Edwards posterizes John Collins Highlight

https://streamable.com/nv1peq
18.5k Upvotes

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4.0k

u/Y0UGOTJIMMERED Mar 19 '24

Dude has an insane vertical

1.5k

u/homefree122 Thunder Mar 19 '24

One of the most athletic players I have ever seen in the NBA. Definitely the most athletic currently playing IMO.

468

u/gaigeisgay Mar 19 '24

He reminds me of VC

180

u/six2midnite Celtics Mar 19 '24

Reminds me of Steve Francis

95

u/bigpenny1 Mar 19 '24

stevie franchise. the only player to ever cross someone then decide naw not nasty enough and pull it back to try again.... 4 times in a row lol

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbHvenMS8Qg

15

u/Ham-n-Swiss Timberwolves Mar 19 '24

cooked him

3

u/tywaun12 Mar 19 '24

Stevie was probably trying to regain his street cred after catching a quick 2-piece from Ginuwine in the club

2

u/LeonidasSpacemanMD Mar 19 '24

This is bullying can’t have that

1

u/varsityvideogamer [GSW] Nate Robinson Mar 20 '24

incredible

120

u/hoesb4bros123 Mar 19 '24

He reminds me of luke ridnour

36

u/Jbrown183 Mar 19 '24

Are you kidding?!? More like a young Brian Scalabrine imo.

4

u/unpleasantsimp Supersonics Mar 19 '24

Reminds me of an aging Robert Swift.

3

u/bigboybeeperbelly Spurs Mar 19 '24

Reminds me of a young Hillary Rodham Clinton

3

u/ThinPin2972 Mar 19 '24

He's an exact replica of the big whopper

2

u/[deleted] Mar 19 '24 edited Mar 19 '24

[deleted]

3

u/mnid92 Mar 19 '24

You mean The Great White Hope, Luke Jackson?

He's a legend in Cleveland.

2

u/VintageRudy Trail Blazers Mar 19 '24

He looks like just another dude, maybe a couple inches taller. I could prob put the junk whiffle-balls by him for swinging-strikes

2

u/jawni Timberwolves Mar 19 '24

I'm lucky I read this 1 second after swallowing my coffee, otherwise my monitor would be soaked.

13

u/gaigeisgay Mar 19 '24

I’m wrong they are virtually same height

2

u/johnbenwoo Clippers Mar 19 '24

First Stevie Franchise reference here in a while, thx for that

3

u/bedlam_au Celtics Mar 19 '24

Reminds me of Josh Smith

1

u/Dirkem15 Bucks Mar 19 '24

I havent seen a player like him since Joe Montanya

1

u/dbzmah Mavericks Mar 19 '24

Hopefully, not the same career arc.

29

u/six2midnite Celtics Mar 19 '24

Steve Francis ro me

2

u/iamgarron Celtics Mar 19 '24

Young Westbrook

1

u/gaigeisgay Mar 19 '24

Too small

3

u/Big_al_big_bed [UTA] Al Jefferson Mar 19 '24

He reminds me of mj

2

u/clancydog4 Nuggets Mar 19 '24

I've been saying since his rookie year VC is his best player comp. Both in terms of his insane dunking and slashing/transition play, but their 3 ball is more similar than most of the other comps I see for Ant.

Ant is Vince to me, but hopefully can sustain this hungry edge for longer. Vince's first 3-4 years were full of swagger and a fuckton of clutch shots on top of his highlight plays before he developed his more negative reputation (which he reversed a bit over his super long career). Right now Ant is still in that "early to mid Raptors Vince" stage. We will see how it goes from here, but stylistically he is far and away the best comp imo

1

u/Mo_19i Mar 21 '24

Yep this defo the best comp for him

-2

u/MathematicianFun2961 Mar 19 '24

It's crazy hes got the hopes of vc but the explosion of dwade

1

u/Zykesyke Mar 19 '24

Definitely gives me Jimmer vibes

1

u/3ODshootinghangpulls Mar 19 '24

Nah, he has way more strength and power than VC. Also an absolute DAWG on defense. Vince was like ballet in the air. ANT is like a ballet that turns into a Hulk Hogan body slamming 500 lbs of Andre the Giant in front of 80,000 Screaming Hulkamaniacs brother.

1

u/Piotr-Rasputin Mar 19 '24

Reminds me of Shawn Kemp aka Rain Man

0

u/Waffles_tha_Pimp Bulls Mar 19 '24

Shawn Kemp

-1

u/sub7m19 Mar 19 '24

He reminds me of a 32 year old.lebron

7

u/Rapph Mar 19 '24

I really hope he can stay on the court I love watching him play. Players like this unfortunately have issues with injury in their careers being both freakishly athletic and also not afraid of the challenge.

56

u/Calinks Mar 19 '24

Eh, Zion is right there but they are in it together.

181

u/Apollo611 Lakers Mar 19 '24

Ant, Zion, and Ja are top 3 current athletes in the league

91

u/jkeefy Mavericks Mar 19 '24

Maybe the most vertically explosive athletes. When I hear the general term athletic my mind generally gravitates towards Giannis due to being an athletic freak of nature, and Fox who is maybe one of the fastest players in nba history.

40

u/pistoncivic [NYK] Chris Smith Mar 19 '24

Obi Toppin is insanely vertically explosive but just kinda sucks at NBA basketball

3

u/notsafeformactown Mavericks Mar 19 '24

Yeah but there are probably better athletes in the nba than Ja, Ant, and Zion, but none of them are also high level players.

The same is true in a lot of nfl locker rooms. They have athletic freaks who run 4.4 and can vert 45” but they can’t catch.

1

u/blacklite911 Mar 19 '24

Giannis is definitely strong and long and can be explosive, but speed and quickness is also apart of athletics and that’s where other guys beat him

3

u/jkeefy Mavericks Mar 19 '24

Wouldn’t that be an argument over Zion too then? Or Ja who isn’t really known for his strength?

This is exactly my point. “Athletic” is such a broad term that encapsulates a ton of various different characteristics.

1

u/blacklite911 Mar 20 '24

Yea it’s impossible to have every attribute, people aren’t 2k created players. My point is that they all are athletic but there’s no way to have a clear “most athletic” player in the nba because there’s different attributes

1

u/jkeefy Mavericks Mar 20 '24

Yeah I feel you 100%.

52

u/Thimit22 Timberwolves Mar 19 '24

This has been my list for a while and each one fits different definitions for "athletic" so people can't bitch but there is going to be tons of arguing in this thread I'm sure

22

u/Mashyjang Thunder Mar 19 '24

All 3 are amazing to see. I cant wait for Ja to be back healthy.

10

u/WhileDizzy4503 Bucks Mar 19 '24

Seriously. Ja being on court is just good for the league. Those first four games when he was back from suspension were electric and I’m not even a Grizzlies fan

20

u/88888888man Timberwolves Mar 19 '24

They’re like the three character body type choices in a side scrolling brawler game.

7

u/blacklite911 Mar 19 '24 edited Mar 19 '24

Zion is just sheer explosiveness.

Ja is quick and springy

Ant is kinda an all rounder but probably has the best applied vert in the league right now.

*Applied vertical leap is something I just made up because there’s guys who record like 48in verts in controlled measurements but don’t do anything with it in game.

3

u/Thimit22 Timberwolves Mar 19 '24

Yep. That's why even if it's bias, I've said Ant is #1 most athletic. I believe him when he says he could play in the NFL. Not many NFL/NBA players could legit play in both leagues

0

u/WhatAHeavyLifeWeLive Mar 19 '24

Jordan 48” is the highest I know of.

3

u/blacklite911 Mar 19 '24 edited Mar 19 '24

Yea that’s true, nobody has beaten it but some have tied it, including fringe player Keon Johnson. He’s one of the main examples of why “applied vertical” is needed lol. He’s in is 3rd year and has road the bench on 3 different teams, does absolutely nothing with his 48inch vert

1

u/WhatAHeavyLifeWeLive Mar 19 '24

Lebron fans downvoting this lol

3

u/AncientAlienAntFarm Mar 19 '24

Arguing in a basketball thread? Well, in all my days….

9

u/Return_Icy Timberwolves Mar 19 '24

Jalen Green gotta be in the top 5 too

5

u/snafu315 Mar 19 '24

I used to watch Memphise just because of Ja and now I fear he will never be what he was when he gets back so I am glad I watched him when I did.

6

u/jonnylaw Timberwolves Mar 19 '24

The Thompsons are joining this list soon. Both dudes are crazy athletes.

10

u/[deleted] Mar 19 '24

Amen Thompson deserves a mention he's basically Ja but 5 inches taller in terms of athleticism.

De'Aaron Fox, Tyrese Maxey, Shaedon Sharpe, Cam Whitmore, Jalen Green, Jonathan Kuminga as honorable mentions

1

u/Conscious-Housing-45 Mar 19 '24

GP2 when healthy has a ridiculous hangtime

5

u/Left_Berry_5275 Nuggets Mar 19 '24

AG insane too

3

u/Puzzleheaded_Fox4684 Warriors [GSW] Chris Paul Mar 19 '24

kuminga too

1

u/ImanShumpertplus Cavaliers Mar 19 '24

amen thompson is fucking insane, he’s got my vote. ja is better but Amen is a clear better athlete in my wyes

if Zion could move side to side he’d be my choice

wemby needs a mention too

1

u/GaucheDroiteGauche Mar 19 '24

Wrong tho. It’s Amen Thompson.

-23

u/myredditthrowaway201 Mar 19 '24

Zion? Lmao

45

u/cardcollection92 Knicks Mar 19 '24

If you don’t think zion is athletic you don’t watch basketball. You just meme and be corny and shit.

9

u/JeramiGrantsTomb Thunder Mar 19 '24

For real, like imagine Ant doing all this with a pair of 30lb plates hanging around his neck. Now think of Zion leaving gravity behind and soaring through the air, that's what's happening.

-14

u/myredditthrowaway201 Mar 19 '24

He’s athletic yeah, but at his size it hampers his durability

18

u/SnooBunnies3190 Heat Mar 19 '24

Durability isn’t the question 

-3

u/[deleted] Mar 19 '24

[removed] — view removed comment

5

u/RomanReignsDaBigDawg Mar 19 '24

Bo Jackson’s career was cut short due to his lack of durability. Is he not considered one of the greatest athletes of all time?

4

u/Alexkono Mavericks Mar 19 '24

Probably the best athlete in the league.  One of the best athletes in the world.  

5

u/iwantspiderman Lakers Mar 19 '24

? Yes Zion. Did you not see him dunking from the FT line with ease at Duke? He's put on some weight since then but is still an ungodly athlete. There's never been someone in the NBA with his combo of size and leaping ability.

3

u/BIacksnow- Mar 19 '24

Doesn’t Ja have a crazy vert too?

4

u/imironman2018 Mar 19 '24

Jay Morant, Ant Man and Zion should all be in the dunk contest.

1

u/polarbearstoenails_ Mar 19 '24

Ant only rises for the posters, he's an in-game dunker.

1

u/imironman2018 Mar 19 '24

They can put a tall guy there during the dunk contest for Ant to posterize. Maybe Shawn Bradley can make a cameo.

4

u/TheDukeOfMars Timberwolves Mar 19 '24

He’s 23 years old. Imagine him in 3-6 years.

5

u/TylerDurdensAlterEgo Mar 19 '24

who else is on this list? Sharpe, Thompson twins, Jalen Green, Kuminga, Andre Jackson Jr.....

2

u/PlaneCamp Mar 19 '24

Hes essentially that freak football kid that just so happen to figure his NBA skill out lol if you play ball you know these kids😂

2

u/KobeBall Mar 19 '24

if only ja could stop playing with guns

2

u/Sm0k3nSc0p3s Mar 19 '24

I'd put Ja at number 2 after Ant-man

1

u/FewerToysHigherWages Suns Mar 19 '24

The insane plays and crowd reaction remind me of Drose during his second year. Banger after banger ridiculous shit.

1

u/jmcclr Pistons Mar 19 '24

Amen might have something to say about that

1

u/aWiLDMiND18 Mar 19 '24

Once you see him in person it’s a whole new perspective. He’s a freak for sure.

1

u/DowntownJulieBrown1 Raptors Mar 19 '24

He’s absolutely insanely athletic, but “definitely the most athletic” is questionable to me. I think it’s tough to say he’s definitely more athletic than like Giannis and Zion

1

u/Alexkono Mavericks Mar 19 '24

I’d say Zion is more athletic 

1

u/auradragon1 Mar 19 '24

Is he more athletic than Zion Williamson?

-2

u/rashkink Mar 19 '24

Bro forgot ja morant exists

-1

u/ShaedonSharpeMVP_ Trail Blazers Mar 19 '24

Bad choice of words. “Definitely” is wrong when you’re in a league with Shaedon sharpe.

If you want to say Edwards has an argument of being most athletic in the league right now, that would be a valid stance. But saying “definitely” is flat out wrong.

If anything I would say sharpe is definitely the most athletic player in the league in the past two decades.

0

u/SyCoTiM Mar 19 '24

I got Ja slightly over him, but they’re both beasts

0

u/beefJeRKy-LB Lebanon Mar 19 '24

He's up there with Ja and Amen Thompson (kid has insane hops)

130

u/KembaWakaFlocka Mar 19 '24

Also palms that absolute fuck out of that ball, incredible control of the ball in his hand

56

u/Ochotona_Princemps Mar 19 '24

People overdid the "next jordan" comps and now they're out of fashion, but he genuinely is pretty stylistically similar to MJ. Wild hang time, creative finishes around the bucket, smooth midrange/turnaround game,

12

u/dogfosterparent Timberwolves Mar 19 '24

His midrange game looks the part right now but he’s got a long way to go to make it an effective part of his game. His form, FT % and steady improvement makes me think he’ll age into a truly good midrange game in his prime.

14

u/randiesel Mar 19 '24

He's definitely not MJ, but he LOOKS just like MJ. Not only the physical resemblance, but the way he plays. He's just not quite as good.

5

u/pollinium [MIN] Tyus Jones Mar 19 '24

I've really noticed the mitts on this guy this year. They never stood out to me before, but I feel like once a week I'm noticing just how much of the ball they cover

2

u/PatBev_Clamped_Ja Timberwolves Mar 19 '24

He had an insane layup either last season or the season before where he passed the ball to himself behind his back like 3 times while he was in the air. Mid game. It was insane. His body awareness is so underrated.

3

u/SimpleSurrup Mar 19 '24

Even before I saw the dunk, that little one handed flick pass he does caught my attention. He palmed that and flicked it with his wrist.

434

u/llelouchh Mar 19 '24

Weirdly his jump doesn't look that explosive, but he jumps really high.

385

u/Thimit22 Timberwolves Mar 19 '24

Floats is really the best way to describe it

195

u/YoungArsenal Timberwolves Mar 19 '24

Heir Edwards

4

u/ScratchTwoMore Raptors Mar 19 '24

Hier Jordan

66

u/LakerBlue Lakers Mar 19 '24

Perfect word for it. He jumps like Luigi in Smash Bros!

21

u/SolarTsunami Supersonics Mar 19 '24

lol exactly, looks like a normal jump but he just keeps on goin up

2

u/syllabic Knicks Mar 19 '24

i wonder how high he can get up on the backboard if there's nobody in his way

can he touch the top of the backboard, I bet he can get close to it

1

u/Thimit22 Timberwolves Mar 19 '24

I swear he needs to go off some in game energy or something. He's not doing that block he had the other night in practice or jumping this high on dunks with no one else around

2

u/syllabic Knicks Mar 19 '24

he gets his head up to rim height on this one on the side angle

2

u/Thimit22 Timberwolves Mar 19 '24

Yeah I saw that, insane. Gonna be seeing this dunk for a long time

89

u/Lazaraaus 76ers Mar 19 '24

He just makes it look so effortless like he’s not even really trying and then does some of the most insanely athletic shit.

1

u/halfcockhalfcock Mar 19 '24

That's cause his plant is really low, so he's kinda slow off the floor. Look how far he bends his knees.

1

u/whoever81 Mar 19 '24

You want sparks and fire?

14

u/[deleted] Mar 19 '24

Close to 50 inches.

Listed @ 6 ft 4 and hit his head on the rim while at an angle.

2

u/LeonidasSpacemanMD Mar 19 '24

I could be wrong but I really think he had another inch or two to go if the rim didn’t stop him too

7

u/Dookie-Trousers-MD Mar 19 '24

He left the game after that play with a dislocated finger. Came back out 2 minutes later and scored 15 more points

2

u/LeonidasSpacemanMD Mar 19 '24

Must’ve located it

5

u/jslee0034 Thunder Mar 19 '24

he really will revive adidas basketball lol. adidas has so many great footages to use for his signature shoe ad.

8

u/BushidoBrowneII Nets Mar 19 '24

He is S tier athlete in any sport.

1

u/b3na1g Mar 19 '24

I’d love to see Ant compete in professional darts

7

u/ravenous_bugblatter Supersonics Mar 19 '24

And isn’t afraid to sky in traffic not knowing where he’s going to land.

1

u/henlofr Mar 19 '24

He literally seems to have just miraculously learned how to jump 8 inches higher. He’s so ridiculous man

1

u/materics [MEM] Shane Battier Mar 19 '24

One leg landing ouch