Kevin Durant says respect for Anthony Edwards 'went to another level'

Durant and Edwards will play together for Team USA in Paris.

May 30, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) warms up before game five of the western conference finals for the 2024 NBA playoffs against the Dallas Mavericks at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports / Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

Anthony Edwards has taken nothing from Kevin Durant and Durant made that point very clear in a sit-down interview with Yahoo Sports' Vincent Goodwill.

"It's like no taking nothing. You know what I'm saying? You can meet me there. You can get to that level, but you can't take what I've done from me. You can beat me in a game or a series or something, that's cool," Durant said when asked by Goodwill if Edwards beating him in the playoffs symbolized a passing of the torch or a taking of the crown.

"The stuff that I've acquired since being in this league, you can just match it and I think Ant's going to be one of those players that's going to match it. Like, instead of saying something like I took something from Kobe, what can I take from the greats? It's more so just wanting to be on that level they were on. Ant is a student of the game. He's a sponge, he's got a high IQ. I didn't realize that, he's got a high IQ for the game. He's going to be on that level. I wouldn't necessarily say he's taking anything from anybody, he's just putting in that work every day."

Durant is Edwards' favorite basketball player of all time and playing on Team USA at the Paris Olympics will be the first time he's played on the same team has his idol. And despite a viral video of Edward saying he's the No. 1 option, the 22-year-old Timberwolves star says he'll be let his 36-year-old idolt take the big-moment shots in Paris.

"Nah, I'll let KD shoot. I'll let KD, Steph, Bron, they can shoot it," Edwards said. "I'll just be out there to play defense. If they need me to shoot though, trust me, I got it all, I'm here for it. I'll shoot every last one of them."

While Durant is adamant that Edwards took nothing from him when Minnesota swept the Suns out of the playoffs, he did acknowledge that Edwards gained a lot more respect as a basketball player.

"We always had respect for him, but it just went to another level playing against him and seeing him compete," Durant said.