The European takeover of the NBA has been widely acknowledged. With the rise of so many talented International and domestic players in the league, it is unclear who can be dubbed as the next “Face of the NBA”. JJ Redick recently addressed the topic with comedian Hasan Minhaj.
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Perhaps LeBron James and Stephen Curry are still carrying the torch for the NBA. Nikola Jokic has been arguably the best player in the league since 2021, but is still not viewed as the ‘Face of the league’. The same goes for Luka Doncic and Giannis Antetokounmpo. They have unparalleled talents, but are still far from claiming the title.
Redick feels that it is time for an American player to take the baton from Curry and James after the two legends retire. In the conversation with Minhaj, the newly appointed LA Lakers HC admitted that the European players have taken over the league. He credited globalization for bringing the best out of the game.
But at the same time, Redick highlighted the need for an American to take the reins of the NBA. He highlighted Jokic’s reluctance to be the face of the league, while expressing doubts whether Luka Doncic would desire a tag like that as well.
Additionally, he argued that Giannis Antetokounmpo can’t be the next face because of his paint-dominant style. The Bucks superstar’s style doesn’t represent the modern pace-and-space era of basketball. Therefore, Redick advocated for an American to be at the helm.
“For the league, there needs to probably be an American player who takes the throne. I think Jokic doesn’t want it, he doesn’t wanna be the face. I don’t know if Luka does or not. Because of how Giannis plays, and just like bullying people, it’s like, ‘I don’t like how he plays.’”
Redick would want someone else to bolster their claim since the current top three players are either unwilling or don’t fit the mold as the face of the league.
The Lakers HC proposed either Victor Wembayanama or Anthony Edwards to step up. He argued that while Ant has an endearing personality that can resonate with people, he needs to show his competitive side more to make a much better impression.
Can Anthony Edwards or Victor Wembanyama be the face of the league?
As per Redick, superstars like Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson, and Kevin Durant, all brought different personalities to the table. Wemby and Ant-Man have shown likeable personalities, but they do not have diversified personalities like their predecessors.
The one thing they have in common with these legends is their hunger to win.
The youngsters have repeatedly proven that they care more about team success than individual success. Wemby has a strong case to be the next face because he has also shown interest in fields such as science. Bryant’s ability to speak multiple languages and give crisp replies to questions earned a lot of repute.
Therefore, Wembanyama can strengthen his claim as the face if he wins Championships and polishes his intelligent personality a bit. Meanwhile, Edwards’ self-belief and trash-talking ways have solidified his case to a large extent.
