After LaMelo Ball made his Minnesota Timberwolves debut in a 116-97 preseason win against the Milwaukee Bucks, Iman Shumpert made a Oklahoma City Thunder Shai Gilgeous-Alexander take about the veteran guard. For Shumpert, All-Star Anthony Edwards is the missing piece Ball needs to be an elite NBA guard.
Shumpert believes Ball teaming up with Edwards should lead the Timberwolves to seeing the best version of LaMelo, per Shump Street podcast.
“LaMelo [Ball], please prove me right because just a little bit ago I said, ‘Why can't you be SGA?' and everybody looked at me like I was dumb,” Shumpert said.
Ahrii Shumpert disagreed with the notion that LaMelo Ball just needed a player of Timberwolves All-Star Anthony Edwards' caliber to become as good as the two-time MVP, Gilgeous-Alexander. However, Iman wouldn't let up on his take.
“That's because SGA ain't never had Anthony Edwards with him,” Shumpert said. “Pressure's on Anthony Edwards. You have 2 years. After next year, if they are not in the Western Conference Finals and moving to the championship, if they are not, people are gonna start questioning him, because they're gonna be like, you got what you wanted. Anytime you get what you want, where you beg for a point guard or somebody assumes the position, anytime that stuff happens, you have to show up in advance.”
Article Continues BelowIman Shumpert: "LaMelo [Ball] please prove me right because just a little bit ago I said 'Why can't you be SGA?' and everybody looked at me like I was dumb."
Ahrii Shumpert: "I don't know if he gonna be SGA."
Shump: "That's because SGA ain't never had Anthony Edwards with him.…
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) October 7, 2026
Edwards is excited to join forces with Ball. He led the Timberwolves with 14 points, four rebounds, and two blocks. Ball finished with 11 points, three assists, and one steal, as both players only played in the first half of Monday's win.