It's all love and basketball with Kevin Durant and Anthony Edwards

Durant spoke glowingly about Edwards after the Timberwolves swept the Suns in the first round.
Apr 26, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) looks on against the
Apr 26, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) looks on against the / Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

On a night when Anthony Edwards said his favorite basketball movie of all time is "Love & Basketball," it was all love when Kevin Durant was asked about the 22-year-old Timberwolves superstar after Edwards and Minnesota wrapped up a sweep of Durant and the Suns in the Western Conference quarterfinals.

"So impressed with Ant. My favorite player to watch. Just grown so much since he came into the league. At 22, just his love for the game shines bright," Durant said after the 122-116 Timberwolves win.

Edwards had numerous defining moments in the four-game sweep, including in Game 1 when he hit a jumper over Durant and talked trash to his childhood idol all the way back down to the other end of the court. Durant just smiled.

"That’s one of the reasons I like him the most because he just loves basketball, he's grateful to be in this position, he's taken advantage of every opportunity he's gotten. Love everything about Ant. Everything," Durant said Sunday night. "Be watching him going forward. I know he's going to go out there and play extremely hard every single night. Was really impressed with him and he's going to be somebody I'm following the rest of his career. "

The love is the same on the winning side, with Edwards telling Inside the NBA that he's looking forward to teaming up with Durant for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

"I got the utmost respect for KD, man. He comes in and competes every night. I watched every last one of his games since I've been about five. I love that guy, man. I'm excited to play with him this summer, man. Talk a little trash and let him know I sent him home."


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Joe Nelson
JOE NELSON

Joe Nelson has more than 20 years of experience in Minnesota sports journalism. Nelson began his career in sports radio, working at smaller stations in Marshall and St. Cloud before moving to the highly-rated KFAN-FM 100.3 in the Twin Cities. While there, he produced the popular mid-morning show hosted by Minnesota Vikings play-by-play announcer Paul Allen. His time in radio laid the groundwork for his transition to sports writing in 2011. He covers the Vikings, Timberwolves, Gophers and Twins for On SI.