The next generation of stars has already begun to take over the NBA. However, the league hasn’t found the one who is their undeniable next face of the NBA. Many people continue to throw a few names into the pool, but Kevin Garnett believes it’s important to understand the definition of the term.
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The 2026 NBA All-Star Weekend was home to plenty of stories. As a bonus, the highly anticipated exhibition game also turned out to be quite entertaining. Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards was one of the main reasons, which is why he also ended the weekend with the ASG MVP.
Fans on social media didn’t waste any time in deeming Edwards as the next face of the league. Crowning Edwards with that title isn’t just a crazy projection either. The Wolves star has the accolades and the skillset fitting the title.
Garnett, however, he highlights one major aspect people continue to forget when it comes to face of the league conversations.
“I’ve never heard someone say they wanted to be the face,” Garnett said on Ticket & The Truth. “The face just happens. I don’t think you can actually just pick and say someone’s going to be the face.”
Garnett certainly has a point. Unlike awards like the MVP and Defensive Player of the Year, it’s hard for a player to push a campaign for the public to view them in that light.
Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James all had a unique and overwhelming impact on the sport. So, the honor became a consensus belief over time.
“I think their play and the way that they start to distance themselves from the norm [distinguishes the face of the league]. Steph Curry, to me, is today’s [face] because he is the king of the long ball,” Garnett said.
Of course, the three-point shot existed before Curry entered the league. However, the two-time MVP revolutionized the way teams play by utilizing three-pointers in a way nobody else had. That is something warranting face of the league recognition.
Edwards may be on that trajectory, but he still has a way to go. There are a few people forcing the narrative, which goes against the grain of what Garnett believes. The day there’s no one forcing Edwards as the face of the league, and it happens naturally, Garnett will humbly acknowledge Edwards as such.
