As Team USA completed its final exhibition game prior to the 2023 FIBA World Cup on Sunday against Germany, it was Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards who came to the rescue. With the Americans trailing by 16 points in the second half, Edwards caught fire as part of a 34-point onslaught to lead the team to a 99-91 win—and he caught the attention LeBron James in the process.
Following Edwards’s performance and the team’s victory in Abu Dhabi, James took to social media to laud the former No. 1 NBA draft pick for helping Team USA improve to a perfect 5-0 during the exhibition run-up to the World Cup, which is set to begin later this month.
🐜 Man cooking!! That boy 🥶
— LeBron James (@KingJames) August 20, 2023
James’s Lakers teammate Austin Reaves and Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton each scored 16 points Sunday, but there was no denying that Edwards had emerged as the team’s lead guard.
“He’s unquestionably the guy,” Team USA head coach Steve Kerr said afterward. “He knows it. Now the rest of the team knows it.”
The 2023 World Cup will be jointly hosted by the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia. Group play is set to begin Saturday. Team USA is slated to face New Zealand, Greece and Jordan in Manila.
This thing is just getting started.
— USA Basketball (@usabasketball) August 20, 2023
🗣️ See you in Manila 🇵🇭@theantedwards_ checks in after his 34-point performance vs 🇩🇪
🇺🇸 #USABMNT pic.twitter.com/faUJgEPCSc
