Anthony Edwards is Everyone’s Favorite Superhero Wrapped Up in One

In a comic sense, Ant-Man’s classic superpowers include size-shifting and communication with ants. He also sports a cybernetic helmet that enables him to shrink, grow, and control insects. He’s known for his superhuman strength and durability (especially when enlarged), as well as energy blasts from wrist gauntlets (or in some cases, suit tech).

Sound familiar? Well, Anthony Edwards is actively proving that he has all of these and then some. His presence has proven the ability to shrink opponents and grow to meet the moment. The superhuman strength? Well, we’re all witnessing this in real time, given his insane healing and recovery ability.

Shadows of Batman

Edwards has managed to turn the “Mini-Apple” into his own version of Gotham. Target Center has become an incredibly tough place to play, as it once was in the early 2000s. But this time, there’s no Kevin Garnett. Edwards and his sidekicks have managed to reach the Western Conference Finals the last two seasons, and now, they’re hunting for a consecutive third.

DC‘s Batman has attributes that include peak-human physical training, genius-level intellect, elite detective skills, and reliance on his weaponry — and the famous utility belt — to fight crime. Knowing this, it’s hard NOT to find parallels between the two.

In Edwards’s Gotham City (Minneapolis), he displays peak-human physical attributes, All-Star level basketball IQ, and elite defensive skills. As far as the utility belt? Look no further than his cast of sidekicks — otherwise known as Jaden McDaniels, Rudy Gobert, and Naz Reid, among others. His playmaking has provided this cast of supporting players to come into their own at the perfect time.

Following the Wolves’ 4-1 series win against the Los Angeles Lakers last season, Edwards left us with some iconic clips. Before heading out to walk the streets with fans of the team he had just eliminated, he endeared us with an all-time quote. “Ant-Man, Batman, Superman, Lakers in Five”, which was a jab at pundits who gave Minnesota no chance in the series.

The episode Edwards references here was a promotion of his YouTube channel, where you can find this exact clip and much more.

Saving the Day Like Superman

In the quote above, he also references DC’s Superman — another hero he shares attributes with. In comic form, Superman is best known for his superhuman strength, ability to fly, and healing factor — among many others. Again, you don’t need to look far to find comparisons between these two, either.

At this point, we are all aware of Edwards’ high-flying ability, which has given us posters for our walls year over year. What is becoming more apparent is his seemingly superhuman strength and his remarkably fast healing ability. Before the commencement of the Western Conference Semifinals, it was thought that he would be sidelined for multiple weeks with a hyperextended left knee and a deep bone bruise. Little did we know he had some Superman in him, too.

Anthony returned for Game 1 of the series with San Antonio, albeit in a limited fashion. This is understandable, considering it had only been NINE days. ESPN‘s Senior NBA Insider Shams Charania broke the news that left Wolves’ fans on the verge of happy tears:

After being named a Finalist for the Kia NBA Clutch Player of the Year award, the clutch performances did not stop in the regular season. In Game 4 of the Conference Semifinals in Minneapolis, Edwards dropped 36 points, with 16 of them coming in the fourth quarter, in which he played all 12 minutes. He also added six rebounds, two assists, and a steal, all on two less-than-healthy knees.

The Timberwolves secured the Game 4 win by a score of 114-109. Feeling the Superman vibes, Bleacher Report took note of the historic performance, displaying how he “saved the day”.

Edwards’ Affection for Spider-Man

While he might not be able to climb walls or swing from building to building, Edwards’s attributes fall in line with those of Marvel’s Spider-Man as well.

Spider-Man’s classic superhero abilities include superhuman strength, speed, agility, reflexes, and a danger-warning spider-sense. While Edwards exudes most of these on a nightly basis, it’s the latter ability that Wolves fans have come to adore. While it isn’t necessarily a “spider-sense” by definition, his danger-warning senses are factually instinctual.

Edwards always shows up when the lights are the brightest and when his team needs him most. Particularly in “clutch-time”, which the NBA defines as “the final five minutes of the fourth quarter or overtime, provided the score is within five points.” If that’s not a “spider-sense”, then what is?

As Courtside Buzz captured last year during the Wolves matchup with the Lakers, Edwards found himself “shooting a web” in Spider-Man fashion at LA’s Luka Doncic.

On-court celebrations were a hot topic last season, and the NBA has been actively cracking down on “inappropriate” and violent-themed celebrations. Notably, this is what Courtside Buzz was referring to here. Ultimately, Edwards was never warned or fined for this joviality.

The Most Recent: Wolverine

As mentioned above, Edwards’s quick return from injury to participate in the full series with San Antonio came as a surprise to many. However, it didn’t surprise teammate Julius Randle. Randle has been on record (dating back to last season) likening Ant’s resiliency to Marvel’s Wolverine. During Minnesota’s 2025 playoff series against Golden State, Edwards was injured during Game 2.

After the game, Randle began the newest round of comparison. “He(‘s) like Wolverine. He gets hurt, he do something in the back. I don’t know what the hell he do, he come out and he balls. That’s what he does.” Yahoo Sports quoted this moment that was revived just days ago:

For those who may not know, Marvel’s Wolverine has a mutant healing factor. He also has superhuman strength, durability, speed, and stamina, allowing him to fight through extreme damage for hours. Timberwolves’ VP of Medical Operations & Performance Therapy, David Hines, continued this sentiment before the San Antonio series.

The Athletic‘s Jon Krawczynski heard the quote on Edwards’ YouTube channel and put it out into the ether for our viewing pleasure:

Krawczynski also combined with Spurs Staff Writer Jared Weiss of The Athletic to provide a more comprehensive breakdown of Game 4, which can be read here.

After the return of Edwards for Game 1’s victory on the road in San Antonio, Minnesota’s own PR team posted a cheerful goodnight message to fans. This kept the superhero theme and depicted Ant in full character.

The Humility and Support for His Cast

While we all like to compare Anthony Edwards to our favorite superheroes, one of his most loved traits is his humility. Yes, he is still human after all. After the Game 4 win, Edwards took to the podium and gave credit where he believed credit was due.

“It’s not just about me, it’s the people around me. They’re not just yes men, it’s not a bunch of people that are just willing to do anything you say. These people really want to see me succeed… That’s enough about me, let’s ask about my team,” said Edwards.

If you weren’t a fan before, maybe you are now. In the end, Anthony Edwards is not all about him. He’s all about his team, and he’s all about Minnesota. “I’m with Minnesota. I got Minnesota back at all times”, Ant said.

And man, do we love him dearly for it.

The post Anthony Edwards is Everyone’s Favorite Superhero Wrapped Up in One appeared first on The Lead.