After an eventful weekend that ended with Anthony Edwards winning the All-Star Game MVP and Team USA stars winning the final game 47-21 to secure the win over Team USA stripes, the Timberwolves star sat down with NBA TV to give his honest opinion on potentially becoming the face of the league.
“It isn’t something I’m out here shooting for; if it happens, it happens,” Edwards said after the game. “I’m not somebody like ‘oh I’m trying to be the face of the league,’ but if it happens, it happens,” said Edwards.
The Timberwolves star finished the new format of All-Star games averaging 10.7 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.0 assists while shooting 59.0% from the field and 40.0% from beyond the arc.
Until recently, Edwards had a different answer. He spoke to the media just yesterday before the All-Star game and was asked if he saw himself replacing LeBron James, who is near an imminent retirement, as the face of the league.
“Man, them folks got Wembanyama. They got Wembanyama, they’ll be alright,” joked the Timberwolves star while pointing to his competitor in becoming the future face of the NBA, the 2023 No. 1 overall pick, Victor Wembanyama.
After Team World lost both games tonight, a disappointed Wembanyama also sat down with the media and gave his two cents on what he thinks about potentially becoming the face of the NBA one day.
“Yeah, I see that. I see what you’re trying to make me say, too. It’s something that’s got to be natural, of course. Obviously, social media, NBA can promote whoever they want.”
“But at the end of the day, it’s going to be the best players and who the people ask for. Being the face of the league, it’s something that can be manufactured, but only to some extent.”
“It’s only going to be the best players. This is what it’s all about. Sh**, being the face of the league is just the by-product of… and I’m saying that like somebody being the face of the league would just be the by-product of their basketball level,” concluded Wembanyama.
The Spurs’ French star ended the night averaging 16.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks while shooting 76.9% from the field and 80.0% from beyond the three-point arc.
I agree with Wembanyama to the extent that the playing level organically determines the face of the NBA and not that it is some debate in which one can argue their way to the right answer.
Most of the debate around the next face of the league is triggered due to the nearing and imminent retirement of LeBron James. But to this day, people still argue whether he is or Stephen Curry is the face of the league. But it is organically understood that they both represent different things at the highest level in the league.
Similarly, as much as Edwards or Wembanyama can debate on who becomes the next face of the league, their actions on the court end up speaking a lot more than their words.
