LeBron James has been the face of the NBA for the better part of two decades. Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant have been right there with James over their respective careers as the most important players in the league. Before these 21st-century stars, everyone thought of Michael Jordan when they thought of the NBA. Magic Johnson/Larry Bird, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Bill Russell all carried the NBA on their backs during their respective eras, too.
When it comes to the modern game, though, James, Curry, and Durant are nearing retirement, and the NBA will need a new “face of the league” to replace them. This topic came into the news over the All-Star Weekend when Anthony Edwards — one of the best young stars in the NBA — seemingly denied the title of being the NBA’s future face. So, check out the gallery, as we wanted to rank young players in how well they could fill James/Curry/Durant’s shoes as the face of the NBA.
This isn’t necessarily a pure talent ranking. For example, James is still the face of the NBA despite no longer being the best player in the league (although he was at one point the best player in the NBA and is certainly one of the best players ever). While being the best player in the NBA is an important factor in leading the league as a whole, it definitely isn’t the only factor. Marketing ability, cultural impact, team context, and an ability to push the sport of basketball forward are all important aspects of being the face of the league. Additionally, it is probably too late for guys like Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo to be the face of the NBA since they are already 30 years old, so we only considered younger players.
1. Luka Doncic, Los Angeles Lakers
A lot of former NBA players and NBA talking heads have claimed that an international superstar can’t be the next face of the NBA because the league is predominantly American based. Luka Doncic has too many megastar qualities to not pick as the heir to the throne, though. That is more so the case now that he plays for the Los Angeles Lakers, a team that is, of course, the biggest and most culturally significant/prestigious in the entire league.
The Lakers are known for always winning, always being relevelant, and always having superstars. Those factors should remain true for the Lakers going forward since they traded for the 25 year old (in one of the biggest and most polarizing trades ever). While Doncic hasn’t won the MVP yet in his career, that accolade seems destined to come soon, and the ex-Dallas Maverick has still been a record-breaker throughout his young career.
From here on out, Doncic should be among the league leaders in every major statistical category each season, including in points, rebounds, and assists. His star power has only increased by not only putting on the purple and gold, but by teaming up with James, too.
Doncic has the joyful/charismatic personality that is necessary for being the face of the league, but he also is capable of playing the villain role that is sometimes necessary for that title, too. He is not afraid to talk a little trash and show off the more fiery side of his personality when need be.
2. Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves
While Edwards claimed that he doesn’t want the role of being the face of the NBA, it might be something that is thrust upon him anyway. For starters, everybody loves Edwards. He is a joy to listen to when he gives interviews and sound bits, and that gives him a big presence in the social media space.
He is also a blast to watch. Edwards can do it all. He is one of the best dunkers in the NBA, but he is also shooting the 3-point shot at a historic rate. He can even clamp opposing stars on defense, making him one of the rare two-way stars in the NBA. This all goes without mentioning that Edwards is an American player, which is a criterion we mentioned that some require from a face of the league.
The thing holding Edwards back is where he plays at. The Minnesota Timberwolves have potential, but they are simply one of the smaller market teams in the NBA. Furthermore, they are a team that has struggled to win games throughout their existence. While they have a die-hard and loyal fanbase, they don’t have nearly as much national/global support as a team like the Lakers.
3. Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs
The player that Edwards nominated as the future face of the league is Victor Wembanyama. Wembanyama certainly has the potential to fill that role. The 2023 first-overall pick was widely regarded as the best draft prospect since James, and so far, he has lived up to the hype. In his first All-Star season, Wembanyama’s 3.8 blocks per game put him on a path to walk away with the Defensive Player of the Year award.
The San Antonio Spurs star is a unicorn of a player, though, and he does things on the offensive end that shouldn’t be possible for a 7-foot-3 player. Wembanyama has the handle of a guard, and he can make jump shots off of the dribble, from way beyond the 3-point arc, and in fadeaway fashion.
The big man had a setback this season, as he will be out for the rest of the year because of blood clotting. The Frenchman is expected to make a full recovery, though, and he should re-establish his face of the NBA case next season on what will be by far the best version of the Spurs since he joined the team. If San Antonio can start winning ball games, as they are expected to next year, Wembanyama can certainly become the most important player in the NBA. It is hard to put him above Doncic and Edwards for now, though, because he hasn’t done much winning yet.
4. Cooper Flagg, 2025 NBA Draft
Cooper Flagg hasn’t spent a second on the NBA hardwood yet, but he already has a case as the next face of the NBA. The projected number one pick in the 2025 NBA Draft is currently having a magnificent freshman season at Duke, and the hype around him is greater than all but a few draft prospects this century.
Despite his status as a freshman, Flagg is the best player in college basketball, and that is a feat that has rarely been accomplished before. He has a chance to lead the Blue Devils to a national title, and if he does, he will be remembered with the likes of Michael Jordan, Carmelo Anthony, and Anthony Davis as first-year collegiate athletes who led their team to March Madness glory. Jordan became one of the best college basketball players ever largely because of what he did as a freshman, while the latter two players only played one college season but are still considered some of the best NCAA basketball athletes of the 21st century.
Of course, not everybody works out in the NBA as expected, but Flagg is seen as a can’t-miss prospect because of his versatility. He can truly do it all, and that includes doing the dirty work. His hustle, defense, and intangibles are all things that fans can respect. Additionally, in a league dominated by African American and European players, Flagg will have the spotlight on him as a white player from Maine. That may not be fair, but that will be reality.
5. Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
Jayson Tatum is still only 26 years old, so there is a case to be made that he could be the next face of the NBA. His case comes from the fact that the Boston Celtics have dynasty potential. The defending champions have the best core in the NBA, and their best players are locked up for years to come.
Tatum is underrated and overhated by a lot of fans, and that might prevent him from ever becoming the league’s face. The six-time All-Star is the best player on (arguably) the best team in basketball, though. We’ve seen Celtics stars on dynasties be the face of the NBA before. Bill Russell and Larry Bird obviously come to mind in that regard. Tatum could be next in line if he can start to approach the resumes of those NBA legends.
6. Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies
Before his letdown of a 2023-24 season, Ja Morant was considered one of the front runners to be the next face of the NBA. He has unmatched athleticism and unlimited courage. It leads to highlight play after highlight play, usually in the form of attempting poster dunks on the best players around the league.
Unfortunately, Morant’s path to megastardom was stunted when he was suspended twice for gun-related incidents that the NBA viewed as detrimental to the league’s image. He followed that up with a season-ending injury, and Morant hasn’t been as dominant as usual this season. Morant has missed a handful more games this year, and his scoring numbers are down significantly from his three previous seasons.
If Morant can return to form, remain healthy, and stay out of trouble, he does have the potential to be the future face of the NBA. As of now, though, he ranks outside of the top five in our rankings.
7. Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans
When Zion Williamson was drafted first overall in 2019 (one pick before Morant), a lot of fans/media members pinned him as the future of the league. Williamson has not lived up to expectations, though. The explosive leaper has battled through injuries his entire career, and that has led to him only playing in 205 career games.
You can’t be the face of the NBA if you barely ever play. Still, there is a reason he was so hyped up during his high school and collegiate playing days. Williamson is a freak athlete who does things after going airborne that seem impossible. He has also dominated when he has actually been on the floor, as evidenced by the fact that he became the third fastest active player to reach 5,000 points.
Williams reached that threshold after only 203 career games, and only Doncic and James rank above him in that regard. In all likelihood, Williamson will never reach face of the NBA status, but there is still a slim chance that he can turn his career around enough to get there.
Other young stars such as Cade Cunningham, Paolo Banchero, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander just missed the cut for this list. Cunningham and Banchero were former first-overall picks who are quickly becoming great NBA players, while Gilgeous-Alexander deserves to be mentioned because he is the MVP favorite this season. LaMelo Ball is another player worth mentioning. He is a player with a huge fanbase because of his ameatur days, but like Williamson, injuries and losing have dimmed his star power.
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