Since 1956, the MVP award in the NBA has been given to the players who have proved themselves worthy of it by giving their best for their teams. From Kareem Abdul Jabbar’s record six MVPs to Michael Jordan’s magical dominance and LeBron James’ 4x reign, the award has chronicled the game’s evolution through its brightest stars. But as the 2024-25 season looms, a bold proclamation from a former NBA champion turned analyst has set the basketball world abuzz.

In the recent broadcast of the ‘NBA Today’ show, the panelists were discussing which player has the best chance of winning the MVP next season. The host of the show, Malika Rose, brought up which young player would win their first MVP award next season, to which Kendrick Perkins didn’t spare time to answer. He even added a comparison to his analysis, “The young man that we’ve been compared to Michael Jordan. The young man that actually took his team to Western Conference finals, the young man that knocked off the defendant champions out of the postseason. His name is Anthony Edwards,” said Perkins during his segment on the show.

A young MJ had done a similar job when he entered a losing Bulls franchise. With Phil Jackson’s guidance and help from Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, and more, the shooting guard created a golden era for the ‘Windy City’ franchise. Consequently, he was 6x NBA Champion and earned the NBA Finals MVP in all those years.

The 23-year-old had a great last season as he scored an average of 25.9 PPG, 5.4 RPG, and 5.1 APG. Moreover, he contributed heavily towards the US men’s basketball team’s gold medal win in the 2024 Paris Olympics. Moreover, health also plays an important role in choosing the MVP candidate. He has proven to be one of the most durable players in the league, averaging 75.5 games per season over his entire career. “Anthony Edwards is out to go get his. He wants to win, but this year I wouldn’t be surprised if he leads the league in scoring… He’s not waiting on anyone,” added Perkins.

Perkins also pointed out that the main focus of ‘Ant’ right now is winning the championship for the Timberwolves. But at the same time, he is also eyeing the individual prizes to mark his name in the history of the NBA. Last year, Edward’s Minnesota had a 56-26 record and also finished third in the Western Conference. This further solidifies Edward’s chances of winning the MVP Award in the upcoming season.

Kendrick Perkins’ endorsement of Anthony Edwards as the MVP favorite is a bold judgment, but it has all the reason. However, this is not the only time that Perkins has praised ‘Ant’.

When Kendrick Perkins praised Anthony Edwards for his leadership skills

In April, analyst Kendrick Perkins was out of words for praising the young shooting guard regarding his leadership skills. Edwards had led his team toward victory over the Phoenix Suns (120-95) in the first-round playoff series.

Perkins, in one of the segments on ‘ESPN’s NBA Countdown’ had even said that Edwards was better than many NBA veterans that he has played with. “I never played with a young great player like that. No disprespect to ‘KD’. No disrespect to Russ or James Harden. That type of leader.” opined Perkins.

Edwards, in that particular game, had scored 33 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists in the 36 minutes. From these instances, we can say Perkins has high hopes with the young shooting guard. Only time will tell if he will become the MVP next season.

Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.