NBA star Anthony “Ant-Man” Edwards, 23, does not dim his confidence for anyone, not even the first Black president of America, former President Barack Obama.
A clip from Netflix’s six-part “Court of Gold” documentary series, which covers the men’s basketball teams at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, has gone viral featuring an odd interaction between the Minnesota Timberwolves player and Obama, 63.
In “Court of Gold,” Obama is seen having a conversation with Edwards and his fellow 2024 Olympian Philadelphia 76ers player Joel Embiid.
“What do y’all think about this young guy? He can hoop a little bit,” Obama asked Embiid, referring to Edwards. The seven-foot Sixers center responded, “Just a little bit.”
Edwards jumped in to say, “Man, y’all better stand down. I’m the truth. … These boys know.” He then praised Embiid but added, “He’s lucky I ain’t 7 foot.”
“Y’all got two 7-footers and he’s still scoring on you,” Obama chimed in. Edwards tried to cut the ex-POTUS off by saying, “Hold on now. Hold on. Hold on. Hold on. Don’t talk. We ain’t gonna do all that.”
Fellow Olympians and NBA All-Stars LeBron James, 40, and Kevin Durant, 36, then joined the conversation. Obama flippantly questioned James about Edwards.
“LeBron, are y’all talking to this young man? Because he just keeps on, right now he just said he’s the truth and all that,” Obama asked the four-time NBA champion.
James replied, “The truth? The whole truth and nothing but the truth. That’s what he said?” Following that exchange, Edwards again made sure to interject to get his point across.
“Tell him the whole context of the situation though. You asked [Embiid] what he thinks about this young man and he said I’m OK. I said, ‘I’m the truth, you trippin.’ That’s what happened,” Edwards explained.
Durant sided with Edwards by stating, “Nothing wrong with that.” Obama conceded, “You gotta have that.”
“Ant-Man’s the truth,” James concluded.
Video of the interaction between Obama and Edwards made its way to social media, and many were displeased with how the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NBA draft treated the ex-commander-in-chief.
“He’s talking to Obama like he’s another man. It’s simple,” one person wrote in the comments of The Neighborhood Talk’s Instagram page. A similar comment read, “Lmfao. I love Ant talking to him like a regular guy.”
In contrast, another person wrote, “Poorly raised. Weird how some of these kids now don’t understand the concept of respecting elders. Trying to son a whole former POTUS is weirdo behavior. Luckily Obama doesn’t seem offended because he’s too cool but I’m offended for him.”
“[People] saying ‘Obama not offended.’ Did y’all not watch the whole video? You see Obama asked Lebron, ‘Have y’all been talking to this young man?’ Lebron had secondhand embarrassment! He was quiet,” a second critic offered.
Edwards got additional backing when an Instagram user suggested, “That was a regular barbershop conversation. Please don’t read [too] much into this, this is just how Black men communicate. It’s normal.”
However, another commenter declared, “[I don’t care]… This has nothing to do with Obama being a former president. He could be your dad/grandpa… watch that tone and that mouth! They not at the damn barbershop, court, poker table… He just has some learning to do for sure!”
Despite causing polarizing opinions about that filmed moment with the former president, Edwards continues to rack up accolades in his young NBA career.
Ant-Man has been selected for three All-Star games from 2023 to 2025. The 6-foot-4 shooting guard is averaging 27.5 points per game for the 2024-2025 season.
The Minnesota Timberwolves made the NBA playoffs the past three years, including last year when they knocked off the 2023 NBA champion in the Western Conference semifinals. Edwards has averaged 27.8 points per game in the postseason.
Team USA won the gold medal game at the 2024 Summer Olympics by defeating France, fronted by San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama, in the championship round.
In addition to Edwards, the Jake Rogal-directed “Court of Gold” also features current NBA standouts like Wembanyama, Steph Curry, and Nicola Jokic as well as retired NBA legends like Dwyane Wade, Steve Nash, and Carmelo Anthony.
