Anthony Edwards has become one of the NBA’s most followed young stars, and this week the Minnesota Timberwolves shooting guard gave fans something completely different to talk about halfway across the world.

Edwards linked up with local Filipino lookalikes of Stephen Curry, Luka Dončić and LeBron James during his Adidas Philippines “Believe That. Tour” stop in Manila, with photos showing him posing, laughing and training alongside the trio, who fans have jokingly dubbed the “Temu” versions of the NBA stars.

Photos shared by the Twitter (X) account courtsidebuzzig showed Edwards posing, training, and laughing alongside Filipino content creators who have built online followings for their striking resemblance to‌ NBA stars. The images spread quickly among basketball fans online.

This kind of international outreach fits a pattern for Edwards, who ran a similar multi-city tour through Shanghai, Chengdu, and Beijing last August.

The trip saw the unveiling of his AE2 signature sneaker, as well as a collaboration with the streetwear clothing line, CLOT, proving just how far he has come from Minnesota.

As soon as the pictures from Manila were out there, NBA fans did not hesitate to give their verdict on Edwards’ unconventional trio of Curry, Dončić, and James.

Anthony Edwards’ Manila lookalike moment sparks NBA-wide reaction

It was hard for the fans to process all the images, but the responses included everything from humorous poking fun at the images to more serious interest in whether Edwards will also be treated this way someday.

“Damn, he met the Temu versions,” one fan joked.

This name was given to the pictures because they were realistic enough to fool a scrolling timeline. The Filipino lookalike artists are well known for their work imitating NBA players, down to their exact build, hairstyles, and poses. Edwards did not take this as just another joke, which is why the post went viral.

“That fake Luka is thinner than the true Luka,” another fan wrote, comparing the lookalike’s build to Dončić’s own.

This is a part of the discussion surrounding Dončić’s conditioning that goes back all the way to his time as a Maverick player and has increased even more now that he has been traded to the Lakers. There has never been a shortage of people willing to discuss his physique.

“Hoping that Antman has a temu version too,” one fan wrote, wondering if Edwards would eventually get the same treatment.

This response shows just how far along Edwards’ reputation has come in such little time. It’s not every day that someone who’s in their mid-20s can go on two international tours in one year, have their own signature shoes, and have their own clothing line.

One fan took the whole concept to a whole new level with this thought: “What if that’s the fake Ant with the real Luka, Steph, and Bron?”

It was funny because it really worked, and there is something bigger at stake beyond the individual instances. The lookalike artists have gained followers specifically because their work is believable, and an event like this gives them publicity beyond any price.

What played out in Manila this week was never really about Curry, Dončić, or James at all. It was about how far Anthony Edwards has traveled as a global brand in ‌a single year, and how a lighthearted photo op can end up saying more about the NBA’s international reach than any press release could.