“Guys Like Me”: Jayson Tatum Crowns Luka Doncic and Himself in Line to Succeed LeBron James and Stephen Curry’s Stardom

The NBA is home to some of the greatest basketball players on planet Earth. And, since its establishment 76 years ago, it has always been home to at least one “face”. And, when asked who the next “face” would be at the Gatorade Player of the Year awards, Boston Celtics star, Jayson Tatum had a clear-cut answer. He believes that he himself, Luka Doncic, and Donavan Mitchell are next in line and could potentially take the throne away from the likes of LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Stephen Curry.

Tatum is already a superstar in today’s NBA. His skill is on par with some of the greatest to ever play the game, and he is only 25 years old. He still has a long way to go in his career, and is sure to improve even more. Nevertheless, his confidence and attitude show the belief he has in himself and his ability to become a legend of the sport.

Jayson Tatum believes that he, Luka Doncic, and Donavan Mitchell will be the future faces of the NBA

Over the years, the NBA has always had one player who stood tall as the face of the league. In the 60s, the Logo, Jerry West had the title, in the 70s, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar came to the forefront, the 80s saw the dominance of Larry Bird and Magic Johnson, and the 90s was Michael Jordan’s era.

The modern NBA has seen plenty of greats come and go in the league. And, three of the best are undoubtedly LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant. However, all three men are in the twilight years of their respective careers. As such, many are wondering who will take up the mantle.

Well, recently, Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum was asked this very question, and he had an interesting response. He believes that there are many talented players in the league, and while there are older guys like Joel Embiid, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Nikola Jokic currently vying for the position, there are also players like himself, Luka Doncic, Jaylen Brown, and Donavan Mitchell. All of whom are slightly younger but could be next in line to represent the league.

“There’s so many talented guys… young guys in this league. Like Embiid, Jokic, Giannis… they’re still kind of young I guess? You got guys like me, Luka, Jaylen Brown, Donavan Mitchell. You know…younger than those guys. The league is in great hands. So many talented guys. You know, the older guys, Steph, LeBron, and KD, those guys are still doing what they do. It’s very competitive!”

(via @Balldontlie)pic.twitter.com/PeWFDRGbRV

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) July 17, 2023

It certainly is quite the diplomatic answer from JT. But, the Celtics star does have it right. There are plenty of talented superstars in the league, and one of them is sure to become the new face sometime soon.

Tatum and Doncic are the two players most likely to become the faces of the NBA

Jayson Tatum certainly named a lot of interesting players who could possibly become the next face of the NBA. Granted, he did miss out on a few names, including Ja Morant, Trae Young, and Anthony Edwards. But, given how they have been performing recently, it is very likely that both he and Luka Doncic are the favorites to assume the role.

Nevertheless, there is still a long way to go before either of them takes the mantle away from the likes of LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant.