Ant vs. Wemby: A duel between the NBA’s two future faces, built on mutual respect

Anthony Edwards and Victor Wembanyama delivered another reminder of why their matchups are quickly becoming must-watch television – a duel between two players widely viewed as the future faces of the league.

On the floor, both stars put on a show. Edwards erupted for 55 points, pouring in 26 in the fourth quarter as he nearly led Minnesota back from a 25-point deficit. Wembanyama, however, had the final say, finishing with 39 points and guiding the Spurs to the win.

Performances like that continue to fuel what feels like a budding rivalry between two young superstars on parallel trajectories. With both the Timberwolves and Spurs positioned to remain competitive for years to come, this matchup is shaping up to be one of the NBA’s most compelling headliners every season.

After the game, Edwards was candid about what it is about San Antonio – and Wembanyama in particular – that brings out some of his best performances.

“They’ve got [Wemby],” Edwards said. 

Asked about going head-to-head with Wembanyama, Edwards didn’t hide his excitement.

“I love it,” he said. “I wish we could’ve just moved everybody out of the way… me vs. him.”

When pressed on who would win in that scenario, Edwards didn’t hesitate.

“It’s me,” he said. “I would try to dunk on him.”

Wembanyama, for his part, welcomed the challenge and framed Edwards’ comments as a sign of respect rather than rivalry.

“It’s an honor, and it’s the best thing to have the best players go as hard as they can,” Wembanyama said. “It makes us better – it makes me better. It’s a show of respect. Standings-wise, we are a respectable team.”

As for Edwards’ dunk ambitions, Wembanyama had his own response.

“I will try to block him more than he dunks on me,” he said.

Beyond the highlights and soundbites, the mutual respect between Edwards and Wembanyama is unmistakable. As two of the game’s brightest young superstars, their on-court battles feel less like fleeting moments and more like the early chapters of a rivalry set to define prime-time NBA basketball for years to come.