POLL Who will be the next face of the NBA?

[DJ Fieri]

Self explanatory. Vote and discuss.

I'm hungry after typing in tater salad.

 

[thunderc]

You can take Ant and Goatum off of this

 

[fightinfunbags]

Meh. Not sure anyone cares. They seem to be shitting on their own product these days. Not as many eyes viewing TV games. Not as many in attendance at games. The regular season is too long. It’s not really compelling. On top of that there’s probably only about 3-5 real contenders for the championship every year. The NFL presents a circumstance where a team can rebound in 1-2 years from being a team that picks early in the draft after a 4-5 win season and they’re already back in the playoffs. Meanwhile, an NBA rebuild often looks like “we are 3 years away from being 3 years away.” NBA has a ton of issues they need to solve before they can start getting into face of the league stuff. In fact, the proclivity to create “player fans” like Bronsexuals is part of what goes into the lack of enjoyment now for many with the game.


Also…I’ll say it before you do…the Sixers dying before my eyes has definitely contributed to my shitty attitude here haha.

 

[Mebert]

You can take Ant and Goatum off of this

I am not sure Ant will ever grow up at this point. Crazy talent, but too out of control to ever be the face.

I picked Luka, he was already close to it before he went to the franchise that gets all the media love.

 

[logic]

Meh. Not sure anyone cares. They seem to be shitting on their own product these days. Not as many eyes viewing TV games. Not as many in attendance at games. The regular season is too long. It’s not really compelling. On top of that there’s probably only about 3-5 real contenders for the championship every year. The NFL presents a circumstance where a team can rebound in 1-2 years from being a team that picks early in the draft after a 4-5 win season and they’re already back in the playoffs. Meanwhile, an NBA rebuild often looks like “we are 3 years away from being 3 years away.” NBA has a ton of issues they need to solve before they can start getting into face of the league stuff. In fact, the proclivity to create “player fans” like Bronsexuals is part of what goes into the lack of enjoyment now for many with the game.


Also…I’ll say it before you do…the Sixers dying before my eyes has definitely contributed to my shitty attitude here haha.

I’m glad you could throw every nba hater cliche into a single post so we don’t have to scroll past pages of them. So sorry Embiid shit the bed.

 

[Stakesarehigh]

Meh. Not sure anyone cares. They seem to be shitting on their own product these days. Not as many eyes viewing TV games. Not as many in attendance at games. The regular season is too long. It’s not really compelling. On top of that there’s probably only about 3-5 real contenders for the championship every year. The NFL presents a circumstance where a team can rebound in 1-2 years from being a team that picks early in the draft after a 4-5 win season and they’re already back in the playoffs. Meanwhile, an NBA rebuild often looks like “we are 3 years away from being 3 years away.” NBA has a ton of issues they need to solve before they can start getting into face of the league stuff. In fact, the proclivity to create “player fans” like Bronsexuals is part of what goes into the lack of enjoyment now for many with the game.


Also…I’ll say it before you do…the Sixers dying before my eyes has definitely contributed to my shitty attitude here haha.

Love the honesty lol

 

[logic]

Here's my take. Before Michael Jordan there wasn't really a face of the NBA. You had Magic and Bird, great players with the most historic teams bring the NBA from pretty much obscurity into the main stream. Before them, yes, there were great players, but the league was just trying survive. Michael Jordan completed the transition from niche league growing to household name. When Mike retired the league struggled to find the 'next Jordan' so desperately that players such as Harold Minor were titled Baby Jordan. Kobe and Shaq when he joined the Lakers eventually became sort of the co-faces of the league. Kobe had the more spectacular plays and was more articulate and when he eventually won without Shaq, he was the face of the league. Then, clearly, LeBron came in and was amazing. He was able to drag the Cavaliers to the Finals, and then eventually won with Miami and has been the face ever since.

It's a complex formula to be the face of the NBA. Clearly you have to be a generational talent. But there have been many super talented guys that have not been the face. You have to be articulate and not just about me, me, me--you have to talk about the team and represent the league in a good light. And you have to have spectacular highlight dunks, it's what the people want to see. And you have to be the lead player on a championship team.

I don't think any of the guys on the list above can fill all the categories. I don't think Ant has shown the selflessness part yet, nor has he won a ring, and I'm not sure he is articulate enough. I'm not sure America is ready for a European face to the NBA in Luka or Wemby. Luka won't have those marketable dunks, and Wemby is just so big those dunks are expected and don't look as amazing as MJ, Kobe, and LeBron flying by massive centers to throw down (I don't think any big man will be the face of the league). SGA and Tatum are the best bets for doing it from the list, but both suffer from the perception of being on stacked teams. So, for all that, I don't think the next Face of the League is playing right now and once LeBron retires we will have a gap of who will be the next MJ, Kobe, LeBron. It takes not only an amazing player, but a confluence of circumstances as well.

 

[msgkings322]

Here's my take. Before Michael Jordan there wasn't really a face of the NBA. You had Magic and Bird, great players with the most historic teams bring the NBA from pretty much obscurity into the main stream. Before them, yes, there were great players, but the league was just trying survive. Michael Jordan completed the transition from niche league growing to household name. When Mike retired the league struggled to find the 'next Jordan' so desperately that players such as Harold Minor were titled Baby Jordan. Kobe and Shaq when he joined the Lakers eventually became sort of the co-faces of the league. Kobe had the more spectacular plays and was more articulate and when he eventually won without Shaq, he was the face of the league. Then, clearly, LeBron came in and was amazing. He was able to drag the Cavaliers to the Finals, and then eventually won with Miami and has been the face ever since.

It's a complex formula to be the face of the NBA. Clearly you have to be a generational talent. But there have been many super talented guys that have not been the face. You have to be articulate and not just about me, me, me--you have to talk about the team and represent the league in a good light. And you have to have spectacular highlight dunks, it's what the people want to see. And you have to be the lead player on a championship team.

I don't think any of the guys on the list above can fill all the categories. I don't think Ant has shown the selflessness part yet, nor has he won a ring, and I'm not sure he is articulate enough. I'm not sure America is ready for a European face to the NBA in Luka or Wemby. Luka won't have those marketable dunks, and Wemby is just so big those dunks are expected and don't look as amazing as MJ, Kobe, and LeBron flying by massive centers to throw down (I don't think any big man will be the face of the league). SGA and Tatum are the best bets for doing it from the list, but both suffer from the perception of being on stacked teams. So, for all that, I don't think the next Face of the League is playing right now and once LeBron retires we will have a gap of who will be the next MJ, Kobe, LeBron. It takes not only an amazing player, but a confluence of circumstances as well.

Steph Curry is every bit the face of the league as LeBron and he almost never dunks

 

[logic]

Steph Curry is every bit the face of the league as LeBron and he almost never dunks

Good point. I don’t think he is quite the face that LeBron is, but it is close. He has unbelievable shooting ability with some amazing highlight shots. So maybe it is just highlight-able scoring plays.
But I think if you ask in another 20 years Curry will be remembered as a great shooter that led a great team but LeBron will be remembered as the face of the league.

 

[calsnowskier]

Steph Curry is every bit the face of the league as LeBron and he almost never dunks

As great as Steph is/was, he always needed a team around him. LaBron could do it himself. Same with KD.

Small guys can be great, but they just can’t be the powerhouse that bigger guys could be.

Jordan is the unicorn.

 

[calsnowskier]

As for the question at hand, Wemby is the obvious current answer, but just a few years ago, Zion was the obvious answer.

There is another “Can’t Miss” kid right now in 10th grade (I think). We will see how badly he misses in a few years.

 

[logic]

As great as Steph is/was, he always needed a team around him. LaBron could do it himself. Same with KD.

Small guys can be great, but they just can’t be the powerhouse that bigger guys could be.

Jordan is the unicorn.

Wait a sec. What, exactly, has KD done on his own?

And did you miss the years Kobe played without Shaq?

 

[Ojb81]

It's Luka.

 

[calsnowskier]

Wait a sec. What, exactly, has KD done on his own?

And did you miss the years Kobe played without Shaq?

Good point on KD.

But Kobe had Artest, Gasol and Fisher in his only post Shaq ‘ship.

 

[logic]

Good point on KD.

But Kobe had Artest, Gasol and Fisher in his only post Shaq ‘ship.

You say that like Jordan played with a squad of scrubs

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

You say that like Jordan played with a squad of scrubs

Yeah, he had the great Bill Wennington

 

[calsnowskier]

You say that like Jordan played with a squad of scrubs

Have you looked at those rosters? After Pippen, you had…

 

[Sportsguy9695]

I heard this debate on espn radio over the weekend. You gotta go with Luka. Now that he is in LA. That helps a lot

 

[msgkings322]

As great as Steph is/was, he always needed a team around him. LaBron could do it himself. Same with KD.

Small guys can be great, but they just can’t be the powerhouse that bigger guys could be.

Jordan is the unicorn.

I disagree that LeBron and MJ didn't need teams around them to win. LeBron probably least of all though, his supporting cast was the weakest of the 3. KD? Dude hasn't won ANYWHERE except when he joined and helped create one of the greatest teams ever assembled. Got close in 2012 but that was also not 'alone'. Steph > KD (but it's close) on all time rankings IMO

MJ and LeBron are in the GOAT conversation (along with Kareem, and no one else). Steph is not that. But he is the face of the NBA along with LeBron right now (thread topic)

 

[msgkings322]

Have you looked at those rosters? After Pippen, you had…

Other Hall of Famers like Rodman and Kukoc and strong support like Harper. MJ did not 'do it alone'. When he didn't have help the Bulls didn't win dick.