The Minnesota Timberwolves have been playing fairly consistent basketball recently, despite a tough 114-106 loss to the Golden State Warriors on Sunday night. Prior to that, they had won four of their last five games, including a win over the Warriors on Friday. However, it was following that victory when superstar guard Anthony Edwards found himself at the center of some controversy.
After the Timberwolves' 107-90 win against Golden State, Edwards was interviewed by ESPN and asked about the Georgia Bulldogs' performance in the SEC Championship Game, as Edwards attended Georgia. In his response, Edwards made a remark that raised some eyebrows. While it was subtle and censored, the comment caught attention for its strong language.
Edwards said, "You know who I got. Hey Carson Beck, do your 'M-F'ing' thing boy, you hear me? Do your thing."
Check it out:
Ultimately, the NBA had an issue with Edwards' remark and announced on Monday that he would be fined $25,000 for using profane language during a media interview. Executive Vice President and Head of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars made the announcement a few days after the interview, which took place prior to the weekend.
Here's the NBA official statement on Monday:
The decision to fine Edwards has sparked mixed reactions from fans. While some understand the NBA's stance on maintaining professionalism during media interactions, others feel the fine was excessive, especially considering the informal nature of the comment. This is part of a broader trend in the NBA, where players have faced fines for using what they deem as inappropriate language during media sessions.
"NBA so soft." A fan remarked.
Another fan said," "This is why he didn't talk to the media last night y'all be fining him for just talking."
"Ant gonna retire the most fined player in existence." A fan jokingly commented.
"Anthony Edwards was just fined for using profane language in his postgame interview, and this will be what happens. I don't blame him. There's a difference between cursing in a conversation and cursing at somebody. This isn't good for anybody." One more fan said after Edwards declined to talk to the media Sunday night.
Last January, Edwards was fined $250,000 for publicly criticizing officials after a game. He was also fined $40,000 for a similar issue earlier las February.
Throughout his career, Edwards has been fined multiple times for comments made in postgame media sessions. After Sunday night's loss, he chose not to speak to the media, likely avoiding any further potential controversy after Minnesota lost on the road.
Related: Anthony Edwards Sent Strong Message to Carson Beck Before SEC Championship
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This story was originally published December 9, 2024, 12:05 PM.