"That's God's gift, man" - Anthony Edwards shares a message with a young fan who beat leukemia
Opponents expect nothing more than the nastiest and loudest smack talk to come out of Anthony Edwards' mouth when he sets foot on the court. It is part of his competitive nature, his innate need to prove to everyone that he is the best in the league.
But when it comes to his fans, he turns that persona off and shows them the complete opposite. A young fan, who became famous for giving Edwards an orange wristband, had the privilege of seeing that side of the Minnesota Timberwolves star. He celebrated a victory with him – one that is far more important than any game: beating cancer.
"I was turned up. Slick told me earlier today before the game. So I was like, yeah, let's go," he said in a video message. "That's God's gift, man. So let's do it, Luca."
Luca is now cancer-free
As reported by The Athletic's Jon Krawczynski, Luca has been diagnosed with leukemia since he was five years old. According to his mother, Lacey, Luca uses basketball as his avenue for escape.
" Basketball has gotten him through," Lacey said . "It kept him strong. It was something that he looked forward to. He'd be in the hospital for eight hours with chemo, and then he'd come home and shoot hoops with his dad. Basketball has always been very, very important to him."
And with Edwards and the Timberwolves, he has been watching the best basketball games in the league. It helped even more so that Luca was able to form a special connection with the franchise centerpiece, who has always put on a good show for him while wearing the special band he gave him.
"Never, ever did we dream that Ant would put it on and be like, 'You know what, buddy, I'm gonna wear this for you,'" Lacey said. "It's just been amazing, and Luca watches, and he loves that. He talks about him daily."
Luca's mother has been documenting her son's chemotherapy treatments on her Facebook feed . People have been flooding them with prayers and donations as he battled his illness. Finally, on Feb. 21, 2026, Lacey announced that Luca is cancer-free. The announcement eventually reached Edwards and the team.
Up next, beat MJ
Luca first came across the Timberwolves and Edwards during a game against the Detroit Pistons in January 2025. The young fan from Michigan was seen holding up a sign with a to-do list written on it. The first goal was to beat cancer, and the next was to be the next Michael Jordan.
During a post-game meeting, Luca took the opportunity to gift Edwards an orange wristband . Inscribed on it are the words "Love Like Luca." From there, Edwards vowed to Luca that he would wear the bracelet with pride until he hangs up his sneakers.
"You know what, Luca? I'll wear this on my left arm for the rest of my career, just for you," he told the fan.
They crossed paths again in 2025 at the All-Star game, where Luca gave him another one. However, Edwards' band broke during Game 4 of the Wolves' Western Conference Semifinal series against the Los Angeles Lakers after LeBron James dove for the ball. Despite that, he is still seen wearing that orange band during games.
Now that the six-year-old Luca has beaten cancer, up next for him is to cross off the second part of his list: to become the next MJ. And now he has all of his young life to achieve that goal.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Feb 27, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
