The hope of every sports league is that when an icon retires, they'll pass the baton to the next generation. An example of that dream proving successful would be the 1991 NBA Finals, when Michael Jordan led the Chicago Bulls past Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers.
For the current generation, many are of the belief that Anthony Edwards could replace LeBron James as the face of American basketball.
Unfortunately, the proverbial passing of the baton took an unexpected turn at the 2025 NBA All-Star Game. James made headlines in a less-than-positive manner when he announced mere hours before the event that he would be sitting out due to an existing injury.
Once the opening game between Team Chuck and Team Kenny tipped off, fans quickly realized that another player would had followed in James' footsteps: Edwards.
The explanation that the Minnesota Timberwolves superstar gave was that he's been dealing with a groin injury.
Anthony Edwards said he’s been dealing with a groin injury, and that’s why he didn’t play tonight. He said he hopes it won’t be an issue for him coming out of the All-Star break after getting a few days off.
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) February 17, 2025
Senior NBA writer Marc J. Spears reported that Edwards is also dealing with a cold that prevented him from playing.
NBA All-Star team Kenny guard Anthony Edwards said he missed the game due to a groin injury. Another source said he was battling a cold, too.
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) February 17, 2025
Edwards claims that he might've been able to play had he been granted a longer warm-up ahead of the All-Star Game festivities.
Anthony Edwards said with a longer warm-up he might have tried to play, but there wasn't enough time to test his groin. So he didn't play.
— Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) February 17, 2025
After both Edwards and James opted against playing in the All-Star Game, it's fair to question how successful the 2025 event will be remembered as being.
Anthony Edwards follows LeBron James' lead, sits out of ASG
Edwards was clearly deserving of the selection he received to play in the 2025 NBA All-Star Game. The 23-year-old is currently averaging 27.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.2 steals, 0.6 blocks, and 4.2 three-point field goals made per game on .440/.414/.843 shooting.
With Minnesota sitting six games clear of .500, it was justified and inevitable that one of the best players in the NBA would receive this honor.
Unfortunately, a groin injury, a cold, and a questionable amount of time to warm up have prevented Edwards from making a statement at the All-Star Game. It's also resulted in the widespread belief that any existing snubs were made even more egregious.
That includes the likes of Norman Powell of the LA Clippers and Domantas Sabonis of the Sacramento Kings, who were left out despite their stellar seasons.
Had Edwards and James informed the NBA ahead of time about their concerns over their injuries, alternates could've been named. Instead, All-Star Weekend was completed without two of the top American stars in the game today.
This does nothing to determine if Edwards can still become the face of the NBA, but it's a controversial development with the spotlight shining bright.