Minnesota Timberwolves superstar Anthony Edwards left All-Star weekend with a trophy, as well as a message. After powering Team Stars to victory in the revamped format of the showcases, Edwards was named the All-Star Game MVP following a dazzling offensive performance that saw him score against nearly any defender, and what he said afterwards turned heads.

During his interview, right after being presented the All-Star Game MVP, Edwards was asked about his mindset and eagerness to attack his defensive matchup, whether it was the legendary LeBron James or his childhood idol, Kevin Durant. He had a simple response.

“Yeah, for sure,” he said with a grin. “I want to cook them every time. You know that.”

There wasn’t any disrespect or shade, but a sense of pure confidence and competitiveness. James and Durant are flagbearers of the NBA’s previous generation: multiple championships, MVP awards, and scoring titles.

They’ve been the measuring stick for the next generation of superstars, and now, Edwards has made it clear he wants to go at them, and it was clear in the game.

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In a game often criticized over the last few years for not being competitive or intense, Edwards treated every possession like he had something to prove. He didn’t swing the ball back out if one of those legends stood in front of him, and just attacked.

The Timberwolves star led Team Stars with a game-tying three-pointer in the first round-robin game against Team World, followed by eight points in the final against Team Stripes, logging a combined 32 points, nine rebounds, and three assists. Game 1 was his standout performance, logging 13 points and scoring in the clutch to secure the win.

Anthony Edwards Responds to ‘Face of the League’ Question After All-Star Performance

Fresh off the All-Star MVP performance, Anthony Edwards found himself facing a bigger question than matchups of shot selection. With the league constantly searching for its next flagship superstar, Edwards was asked directly in a post-game conference about his future and if he sees himself as the “face of the league.” It’s the kind of label thrown around after moments like tonight, and it felt inevitable. Edwards didn’t lean into the hype, though.

“It ain’t something that I’m just like, I’m out here just shooting for, you know what I’m saying?” Edwards told the panel, including Rudy Gay, Chris Haynes, and others. “If it happens, it happens. I’m not somebody who’s like, oh, I’m trying to go out here and be the face of the league. But if it happens, I’m not going to shy away from it, you know what I’m saying?”

It wasn’t false modesty, but a grounded idea that his focus remains on the game at hand, not his positioning around the league. This isn’t the first time he has been brought up as a potential candidate for the face of the league, and he’s always consistently denied thinking too much about it.