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Wisconsin's Olympic swimmer Phoebe Bacon challenges NBA star Anthony Edwards

A 50-meter freestyle swim against one of the best basketball player in the world?
Joe Nelson|
Phoebe Bacon celebrates after in the 200-meter backstroke final, Friday, June 21, 2024, during the seventh day of the U.S. Olympic Team Swimming Trials at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
Phoebe Bacon celebrates after in the 200-meter backstroke final, Friday, June 21, 2024, during the seventh day of the U.S. Olympic Team Swimming Trials at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. | Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK

NCAA champion Phoebe Bacon has her hands full with every swim she's in at the Paris Olympics, but if the opportunity arises she's prepared to show NBA star Anthony Edwards that he's not as fast as he thinks he is.

Edwards, the brash, 22-year-old superstar for the Minnesota Timberwolves, is as confident as they come. He

"I heard that if there was a sport that you could be in it would probably be swimming and that you could throw down in the pool, so I want to challenge you to a 50 freestyle at this Olympics," Bacon said in a video she posted to social media.

Edwards responded: "if we doin 20m, we can talk??"

One of the subplots of the Paris Olympics has been athletes from other sports challenging Edwards. It started when Golden State Warriors superstar Steph Curry introduced Edwards to the U.S. table tennis team and Edwards claimed he would get at least one point against them.

Lily Zheng, a star on the U.S. table tennis team, told The New York Times that Edwards was "so nice" but if he he wants to play, she'll crush him 11-0.

"That's for sure. But if they wanted a challenge, I'm always open to humbling them a little," Zheng said.

Bacon, who on Thursday advanced to the semifinals of the women's 200-meter backstroke and will swim for a spot in the final at 1:45 p.m. CT, is the 2024 NCAA 200-meter backstroke champion. She's expected to reach the final and challenge for a medal, perhaps giving Australian favorite Kaylee McKeown all she can handle.

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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.

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