Michael Jordan And Shaquille O’Neal’s Early Refusal To Get Married Proves Anthony Edwards ‘Baby Mama’ Issue Isn’t Valid, Says Charlamagne

The conversation around who should be the next face of the NBA is heating up, and Anthony Edwards’ name keeps coming up. With his electric play, confidence, and charisma, many see him as the natural heir to carry the league forward. But not everyone’s convinced.

Kendrick Perkins stirred controversy by questioning Ant’s off-court lifestyle on live TV, specifically referencing his multiple relationships and children. Perkins argued that to be the face of the league, you need a cleaner image.

Pointing to legends like Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, LeBron James, and Stephen Curry, Perkins said they all had more traditional family structures during their rise. As per the former NBA star, a good family man image adds a lot of value, especially when someone is considered to be the face of the league.

Kendrick Perkins on Anthony Edwards:

“You gotta check the boxes when you’re the face of the league…Bird, Magic, MJ, Kobe, Shaq, LeBron, Steph… they all were family men. They all were married with kids.”

(via @FirstTake)pic.twitter.com/yxZbcaTzLr

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) May 27, 2025

Charlamagne Tha God, however, wasn’t having it. He shut that narrative down by reminding everyone of the facts on Brilliant Idiots. He said, “Sports is definitely a field where that don’t matter. You don’t have to be a family man.” He outlined that Shaq got married in 2002. By that time, the big fella was already a superstar, the face of the league, an NBA Champion, and had several endorsement deals.

The same can be said about MJ, who got married in 1989, and Magic, who got married in 1991. None of them had to get married to maintain a clean image and were revered by their peers and the league. Charlamagne said that the only reason people like Perkins are lecturing Ant is because he lost the series.

Had he dropped 40 points and taken his team to the next round, no one would bat an eye over his off-court choices.

Anthony Edwards doesn’t want to be the face of the league

The reason why the discussion around this topic is reaching new heights every week is that the veterans are getting closer to retirement. Even today, LBJ and Steph are the league’s best representatives. They are bound to retire in a few years, and when they bid farewell to the league, there’ll be no one to fill those shoes and be the face of the league.

Ant, because of his flashy style of play and unapologetic personality, is widely regarded as the next heir to the throne. Unfortunately, the Timberwolves star has no interest in carrying the mantle. When he was asked whether he’d like to take on the responsibility, he said, “Not really. That’s what they got Wemby for.”

Despite Ant’s rejection, fans and analysts are still having discussions about him. On the other hand, Jayson Tatum, who is perfectly capable of being the next face and has expressed his desire to step into those shoes, is being repeatedly turned down in these discussions.