LeBron James and Stephen Curry have undeniably been the faces of the NBA for the past decade, with their extraordinary performances and championship successes. However, as their careers near their twilight, the search for the next stars to take on that mantle has become a popular topic. Now, Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal have weighed in on this ongoing debate.
“I saw some guys on another network the other day talking about the face of the league, and I was so annoyed just sitting around watching,” Barkley began during an appearance on Inside the NBA. “First of all, you don’t give anybody the face of the league, am I right?” he asked, receiving a nod of approval from O’Neal.
“When Magic Johnson and Larry Bird came in, they were like, ‘We’re the new sheriffs in town.’ Shaq took it. Kobe (Bryant) took it. LeBron (James) took it. Steph (Curry) took it,” Chuck continued, making it clear that the face of the league is earned through on-court accomplishments, followed by public and media recognition.
“I get so annoyed when I hear these guys, like, you don’t give somebody something. That’s one of the problems we got, these idiots won’t play in the All-Star game. We’ve given them so much, they don’t have no respect for the history,” Barkley added. “But you don’t give anybody the face of the game, you take it.”
Shaq O’Neal’s take on the new face of the NBA
Following Barkley’s remarks, Shaquille O’Neal offered his perspective on the matter. “To counter what Chuck is saying, they, whoever they will be, they will try to put somebody as the face of the league, they do that,” the Los Angeles Lakers legend explained.
“But Chuck makes a great point, you have to go take it,” O’Neal continued. “While they’re sitting saying ‘him,’ Ja Morant is thinking something different, Luka (Doncic) is thinking something different… Ant Man (Anthony Edwards) is thinking something different.”
Barkley and O’Neal earned respect
Barkley and O’Neal’s opinions carry significant weight, given their own remarkable careers as NBA stars. Charles, who had a standout career with the Philadelphia 76ers and Phoenix Suns, was part of the legendary 1992 U.S. Dream Team and became league MVP a year later. His accolades and impact on the game earned him a place among the faces of the NBA.
Shaq, likewise, had an illustrious career, highlighted by three consecutive championships with the Lakers and a dynamic partnership with Kobe Bryant. He later secured a fourth NBA title with the Miami Heat and retired as one of the league’s top-five all-time scorers.
Who could be the new faces of the NBA?
The ongoing debate about the next face of the NBA has frequently centered around Victor Wembanyama. The 7-foot-4 center for the San Antonio Spurs, who is currently sidelined for the remainder of the season due to injury, has shown immense growth in his first 18 months in the league. With his rare combination of skills and physical attributes, the French star is seen by many as a future superstar and a potential candidate for the league’s next face.
Even other players around the league, including Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards, have acknowledged Victor’s potential. When asked at a press conference last week if he considered himself the next face of the NBA, Edwards responded candidly: “That’s what they’ve got Wemby for.”
In addition to Wembanyama and Edwards, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luka Doncic are other young stars who could enter the conversation. However, as Barkley and O’Neal made clear, all these players still have a long journey ahead before reaching that coveted top spot.