A question has regularly arisen within the NBA community for several years: who will be the next face of the league? And while some see Victor Wembanyama as a perfect candidate, one legend prefers two other young stars.
The day Michael Jordan retired for good, the NBA instantly launched a search for the man who would become its new standard-bearer. Fortunately, LeBron James arrived a few months later and quickly recovered this torch which he retains to this day. However, despite his longevity, the King will also have to end his career sooner or later and in turn give up his throne.
Who will then take over? The league and its fans are already wondering about this even before the fateful moment occurs. The debate also generates numerous reactions on the networks where one name now stands out insistently, namely that of Victor Wembanyama . After only around fifty matches played across the Atlantic, the young French interior has not yet won unanimous approval.
The two favorite stars at Wemby to take over from LeBron
Besides Wembanyama, a few young players already display enough talent and dominance in the NBA to hope to embody it in the long term. Therefore, for some it seems hasty to make the French international the only candidate for this status. For Carmelo Anthony, for example, two other nuggets already well established in the league are more worthy of mention. This is what he said on his 7PM in Brooklyn podcast :
“Is there really a player who intends to do what is necessary to become the face of the league? Because I have the impression that some people throw this label around a little too easily. (…) There are two guys who maybe have a chance to take on this role if they want to and it’s Jayson Tatum or Anthony Edwards. Only the two of them can become the face of the league!”
Respectively aged 25 and 22, Jayson Tatum and Anthony Edwards are already registering as regular All-Stars. They also appear to be the No. 1 options for the two best teams in the league at the moment. Both could therefore lead the title race to the end and why not unlock their collective prize list next June, which would represent a good argument in their favor.
Carmelo Anthony is in any case satisfied with these two names when designating the potential future leading figures of the NBA. Some therefore risk accusing him of chauvinism and forgetting the Wembanyama case. Because given the latter’s historic performances and media exposure, everything suggests that he has what it takes to single-handedly represent the league on an international scale.
According to Carmelo Anthony, only two players can become the face of the league: Jayson Tatum and Anthony Edwards. Victor Wembanyama, for his part, does not yet seem worthy of appearing in this list of the former star, which he will certainly try to change.