Anthony Edwards was terrific in the 2026 All-Star Game, shining brightest among all the other superstars around him. Capturing All-Star Game MVP by posting an impressive 32 points in 26 minutes, Edwards showed the world what he can really do.
That felt like a passing of the torch because everybody is wondering when the next face of the league will arrive. LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Stephen Curry are all aging, and there doesn’t seem to be anyone capable of carrying the league as well as they have.
Victor Wembanyama, the one-of-a-kind Frenchman, is certainly in the mix, but at 22 years old, he hasn’t convinced us fully yet. The onus falls on Edwards, the man who has drawn comparisons to the legendary Michael Jordan at such a young age.
Can Edwards be the face of the NBA? We think he could. But he has to accomplish four things to finally break through, snatch the torch, and lead the league forward.
1. Win, And Win Big, In The Playoffs
Regular-season dominance gets you All-Star appearances, and Edwards has four of them already. Deep playoff runs get you legitimacy. If Edwards wants to be the league’s unquestioned face, he needs signature postseason moments for the Minnesota Timberwolves, 40-point closeout games, series-winning shots, and conference finals heroics.
The league’s icons are defined by May and June. LeBron James wasn’t crowned because of regular-season dunks. Stephen Curry became renowned because of brilliance in the postseason. Edwards must stack playoff wins and eventually deliver a championship. Fair or not, playoff wins validate greatness.
More importantly, winning changes perception. When you’re the best player on a legitimate championship team, debates disappear. Edwards already has two straight Western Conference Finals appearances, but making the Finals this season could seriously start the conversation of who is the next man up to take the crown.
2. Finish Top-3 In MVP Consideration Before Winning It
Winning MVP is the ultimate stamp of dominance, but even consistently finishing in the top three changes how a player is viewed across the league. If Anthony Edwards wants to become the face of the NBA, he needs to live in that MVP conversation every single year.
Edwards’ highest finish is 7th place, and he reached that spot in each of the last two seasons. Simply put: his name isn’t big enough yet to be regarded as the face of the league. Remember prime Kevin Durant, Edwards’ idol? He finished in the top three on four occasions and became the best player in the world by winning his MVP award in 2013-14.
More importantly, MVP races are narrative-driven. They’re about impact and leadership. If Edwards can anchor a top seed while averaging at least 30 points per game with improved efficiency and defensive dominance (which are things he is easily capable of), the conversation becomes unavoidable.
3. Earn First-Team All-NBA Selections Starting This Season
One great season can be dismissed as a peak. Multiple First-Team All-NBA nods signal sustained excellence. That’s where legitimacy is built.
The First Team is exclusive territory; five players who defined that year. Edwards stacking three, four, or more First-Team selections would show he isn’t just flashy or popular, but consistently elite across seasons. However, he needs to take one this year. Edwards has made the All-NBA Second Team in each of the last two seasons, and doesn’t even have an All-Defensive Team on his resume yet.
Edwards needs to finish this season on the All-NBA First Team this season and cannot let anyone take his spot moving forward. He must prove he is the best shooting guard in the league, even ahead of Donovan Mitchell and Devin Booker. Right now, the jury is still out.
Edwards also needs to focus on being a member of the All-Defensive Team, because he has the IQ and athleticism to be a monster on that end. Coming up with steals, blocks, and playing lockdown D is what Edwards can become known for as he aims to be the best overall player in the world.
Longevity matters. The face of the league isn’t crowned for a moment. It’s validated through repeated recognition at the highest level.
4. Win An Olympic Gold Medal As Team USA’s Best Player
Global dominance still matters. The NBA must resonate internationally, and nothing strengthens that case like leading Team USA to Olympic gold as its most impactful player.
If Edwards becomes the alpha on a gold-medal team, delivering clutch performances against international stars, it reinforces that he isn’t just a league star, but a global one. After all, there are heavy doubts about whether the Americans can move forward once LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Stephen Curry retire.
The three superstars were the major reason why Team USA came up with gold in the 2024 Olympics. Can Edwards be the man to set the tone and prove the USA is still on top when it comes to basketball? We don’t see any other American player who has that claim at the moment.
The combination of an NBA championship, MVP, multiple First-Team honors, and Olympic gold would make the argument undeniable. At that point, the “face of the league” conversation would be recognition.
