@@baseupp12 he doesn’t have the luxury of playing in a weak conference nor has had good teams until now. He just turned 25 and he has a red flag over him bc he hasn’t won a ring?! If he had Tatums teams then I’d agree but no. Ppl like you ruin basketball discourse
@@baseupp12he made the conference finals while putting up historic numbers on a not so great team. He hasn’t had the help needed to win. And you know he’s only 25. Since when did a player need to win a ring before 25 to be considered great?
@@IKBanksI he doesn't need a ring to be great but to be face of the league or potential best player he needs a ring until then can't give him the title.
The most pointless convo in the nba community. I personally don't care who the media determines to be the 'face' but Giannis currently has that role imo
@@Foreriverricky I think it’s only wemby. U have to be a consistent top 2 player every season while making at least the conference every 3 years. And be a big reason why ur team succeeds. Tatum luka aren’t qualifiers for this reason. Ant and wemby or even jokic 🤷♂️
Ant and wemby are going to be dominant on both sides and jokic is the best player already so it’s between those . Luka will be better than ant but it will be like Tim vs Kobe in the mid 2000s. Jokic only because he is the best player in the league.
I see a lot of Luka jerseys in Europe and some can't name 2 others that play with him. I can see him making it a global specially because before the NBA he was already loved at REAL FKING MADRID and that club is bigger than half nba teams combined.
I feel like the “face of the nba” really is an old media idea that they can’t seem to let go of. I understand the idea of it when it comes to tv marketing but it’s not like a superstar being at a small market matters when you can find a guy on instagram or through other platforms to watch them as much as they want
I’m sure it’s a cool thing to be labeled, but as you said, being the face of the league means less when social media is a thing and anyone could look up highlights of just about any player they are curious about. 2000’s were probably the last decade before social media impacted all that. Feel free to correct me if I’m wrong.
The “face of the nba” will always be whoever wins the mvp and best player on the championship team. And if you win a couple rings and mvps like bron and Steph, then your reign as the face will last longer. It’s not that deep
@@joshuad24 Giannis? I don't give a shit. He's arguably the best player in the world right now and he actually cares about entertaining y'all which seems to be your biggest complaint about Jokic. I don't hear y'all whining about Bron being the face of the league in his 30s so you're just being a hypocrite. Just say you don't like foreign players.
Birds personality was his confidence. The stories of him in crunch time are absolutely bonkers. Saving his right hand for the lakers is crazy. That’s how bird was charismatic
Popularity contests is what gives Perk content. Even without the legends we are used to we still have a league where we have Jokic whos at worst top 10 at his position all time, Giannis who's at this point like top 3 all time at his position and guys like Luka Shai etc who are literally only just entering their prime. Yeah these players are less popular but the league will be fine.
@@joeclarke7982 no I don’t think either one is boring personality wise or game was but I’m just an unbias person and I can see from different perspectives so yea American sport in an American League can’t make a Serbian Cowboy the face and Luka is cool to me on and off the court but how can you push him as the face of a predominantly black league if it gets to a point where A European is the face (as much as I want it to be wemby) I can see the NBA in a battle for viewership with the Euroleague can man they’re damn sure entertaining too so if a euro is the face they might accidentally create their own enemy. Man NBA is a business more than a sport they only want to push out self beneficial agenda
The disrespect to Giannas and Jokic at this point in their respective careers is beyond disgusting. I understand Jokic is just the funny the horse guy and that’s all we get from off the court. But Giannas has great personality and is putting up great numbers night and night out. The disrespect is crazy
Bro, you are one of the few sane and non bias people commenting on the NBA. I grew up admiring Kobe, I love American players, and I’m always shocked by the disrespect my dear foreign players get.
You right about the DMitch thing but he did get some hype his rookie season(he was runner up for ROY and had the Ben Simmons narrative going for him), but Tatum was criminally overlooked. I’m pretty sure Kyle Kuzma got more buzz that season than Tatum…
The only reason this conversation is happening is for coping with how we're in the Jokić Era. Same thing with the minimum games conversation. Anything but recognition
@@gotworcThat means nothing. Dennis Rodman was prob the most interesting NBA player in existence and he was never the face. It’ll be Giannis, Embiid, and Jokic.
You are right about larry bird not liking the limelight and not having the most outward personality, but I think a couple of things helped him stay likable/marketable. One, similar to Jordan and Kobe, he was ridiculously ultra competitive which showed often enough his personality, and I also think there is something inherently likable about ultra competitive players. The second being his connection with magic definitely helped, Larry being strongly associated with magic definitely helped a lot and I think once they became close friends in the mid 80s that also helped push Larry.
Everyone loves superstar rivalries and players who thrive in the clutch. Players who can talk sh!t and back it up or outplay other players if they talk sh!t to you become legends through the stories of their exploits. Bird has all of it. If he was just a white guy who played better than everyone else, he wouldn't be anywhere near as popular as he got. It's the storylines along the way that build legend status.
I think it's going to be like it was in the 2000s where they really wasn't any definitive face of the league just a bunch of names that all have a case. Lebron, Kobe, Shaq, Duncan, Iverson etc.
This is their job to push the new faces lol these guys almost 30 and they talking bout who gone get the marketing when lebron leaves when they turn 30 😂😂
@@isaiahh4108I don't know man Shai is on an MVP level right now and I think Ant will get there next, and behind them Paolo will also be there to many guys right now could be MVP level and lead their teams deep into the playoffs
Well the thing about people like Bill Russel, Kareem, and Bird is that while they weren't marketable, they were so dominant (damn near every finals in their decades) that everyone had to know them. Imagine Luka (or any young one for that matter) going to the finals for the next 4 or 5 years consistently, then we gonna HAVE to talk about him. When the media ain't pushing, winning is the only solution.
@@felix3033 not true at all, bron aint start making the playoffs until his 3rd season but he was still talked about as a top 10 - 15 player and was hyped as the next jordan. people have tk learn to let lottery teams develop
Every video ive seen about Larry Bird showed he has a great personality and when any player talked about him they said how great of a trash talker he was during his career. Bird had one of the biggest nba personalities
Luka and Wemby are the futures faces. Tatum could also but tbh I think people look at him and JB as a duo more than individuals so that’s holding him back
Bird didnt have the charisma that magic had. In fact he was horrible with the media. He was just a good trash talker and he didnt look like he can hoop. His physical appearance was sorta captivating
They definitely want a blacker and more American player, but not Shai because he's Canadian, they want someone from the US, but no one raises to the level, Jokic and Giannis could be the face of basketball, but they don't want a white "slow" man representing the NBA, or an European born black guy that does not act like a fool, they truly want Jason Tatum to be the face, but he just doesn't have it. They rather settle with Ja than acknowledging Wemby.
I think you are right about them wanting Tatum to be the face, and you’re very correct in stating that he is not that guy. It’s honestly pretty annoying that they’re trying to make him that guy. The next crop of superstars besides Ant and Chet (which we will see about him) are all going to be foreign. Maybe Cooper Flagg will change that
@@MaximusR93 Yes, i do believe Ant is cut from that cloth, and Chet looks like a guy with a lot to prove, i agree that the top 10 best players will be mostly filled with foreigners, they just take it more seriously.
Tatum still doesn’t get talked about enough. They keep talking about Lebron being 103 years old and what he’s doing. Is anyone else seeing him not playing any defense, and some offensive possessions just standing in the corner. Saving himself for easy layups and dunks. The lakers play 4vs5 most of the time he’s on the court. Tatum, Edwards,Luka, SGA, and what jokic is doing every night needs to be talked about more.
Great take. This convo is crazy, the NBA pretends to crown a World Champion, wants to be a global game but the size of its local US market would determine who could be the face of the league?
Unfortunately the "face" of the League would need to be a player from Boston, NY, the Lakers, Warriors or Bulls- MAYBE Miami. A guy from Milwaukee, Denver, OKC, Minnesota, etc. Will have a MUCH harder time because of media markets and coverage. It took LeBron being the most hyped HS prospect ever to overcome playing in the Cleveland market.
This is not a good thing btw, just unfortunately how the NBA works. But a dynasty CAN put an organization on the map and make it a huge, popular market. It won't always (The Spurs) but it can (Golden State)
Not true, Los Angeles basketball market in the 70s before showtime was treated as the current Rams-Chargers NFL market, nobody cares until they started winning chips. The face of the league can turn a small market to a dominant culture. Look at Dallas a team that has no football team, but is a good basketball market. This market thing doesn’t make sense as because what will the NBA get if the same big markets are getting superstar players, a boring competition. On top of that, the big market puts pressure on any star. Look what happened to Carmelo Anthony and NYK, The new face of the NBA comes down to star on the franchise that got front office and coaches scheming in order on a clear cultural goal to create a dynasty.
Idk who it’s gonna be rn but wemby will be the face one day no question. His game/highlights is alr the most entertaining imo if he starts winning I think it’s no question it will be him
Do people think that when Jordan retired from the Bulls, Kobe automatically became the face of the league? There was definitely a point in time where the NBA didn’t have a face of the league. They were looking for the guy that would become that.
No because LeBron already led the league in jersey sales his rookie season in 2003-04. Kobe was never the clear cut face because of LeBron. They were both faces at the time along with Shaq, AI etc
When you watch Luka on JJ Redick's podcast, it becomes obvious why these guys won't push him as the face of the league. He's a quiet guy, doesn't speak loud, doesn't give the media why to work with. The same as Jokic. And Stephen A is right when he talks about the importance of wanting to be put on this position. They don't. And the fact that Lebron is still playing just make it mor difficult.
Luka, Giannis and Jokic are icons in the making. I don't think ESPN can force anyone to become the next face of the NBA despite having these on-air annoying conversations. It has to happen organically.
Larry bird didnt need personality beacuse he had magic they were Yin and Yang as faces of the leauge then Jordan took over then Kobe then Bron then Steph Now we got Antman Shai and JT cant forget about Luka and just look at what a rookie Wemby is doing the leauge will be fine media just gotta find sombody thats american to glaze cuz we see how they treat Euros the Xenophobia is crazy
I'm pretty sure Tatum has been top 5 in jersey sales for the last 3 seasons. What do you want Tatum to do. Also, Luka goes crazy and he is the ultimate meme machine. My favorite tho, would have been if they leaned into the rivalry between Giannis, Embiid, and Jokic. Why can't the media push 3 bigs with vastly different personalities that are all dominant at historic levels and have been in a 3 man MVP race for 4 years.
Couple rules to be the face of the NBA 1. Must be a american born player 2. must be entertaining 3. Must have a Likeable/arrogant personality 4. Must play in a big market
Miss us with the arrogant, big market, birthplace, “entertaining” tropes 😂 If they’re good enough to be in the nba and shine, then they’re good enough for any of the nba considerations.
Bro I was with u but to say Bird didnt have no personality is wild. His trash talk was next level and he knew people couldn't handle his shooting... the mfer played a whole game left handed cos he said he wanted to save his right for the next game 😂😂
Bad faith convo from both sides imo bc the knock on Luka, from what I have heard around me, is that the guy ain't as accomplished and is yet to make that leap - whether or not you think that is because his teammates are bad (which isn't true over time) is redundant (I even remember when LOW himself made a Vid on why Luka won't win with the playstyle he currently employs). LOW does a good job with the notion of why Luka should be the face but I would say that if Tatum wins a ring, he's the face - much like how Kobe was the face in the mid 00's despite LeBron going on a statistical tear of his own back then.
They don’t want Giannas to be face of the league because he is an African from Greece and he doesn’t act American. Jokic because he isn’t athletic and he is euro player and he doesn’t have sexy highlights, he is not flying and dunking or cross people up or scoring like a gunner. They much rather have embiid but he hasn’t won enough didn’t even make the ECF. Shai is just like drake, people didn’t respect drake because he was from Toronto and had that role in degrassi but earned it regardless how he did it. Tatum and edwards is the best option for an AMERICAN face of the league but Tatum has a better chance because he been to like 3 ECF and one finals. The Luka thing, I feel like people want to crown him but his game is too similar to harden but granted he is a level above harden so we will wait and see.
To be face of the league you need to have quotables, iconic shoes, iconic moments, multiple championships/MVPs, a title contender damn near every year, play in a big market, emote throughout games, and more. There are so many things that Magic, Bird, Jordan, Kobe, Lebron Steph and arguably Shaq did/had that I can’t see Luka, Shaq, Tatum, etc doing/having. The way things are panning out, there will be 3-4 faces of the league, but I don’t see there being a single face like we’ve had in the past.
Well everybody wants Jayson Tatum because he's supposedly significantly better than SGA,Curry,Jokic,Embiid,Luka,Giannis,Lebron,Kawhi and Kevin Durant 🤷🏿♂️
Not about being the best lol or stats or u gotta want to care about the league all star stuff and be super marketable while being good . He just super good and non of those things he doesn’t care about the rest
I think the issue is that there are actually so many great young players that it is hard to choose. If the Bucks can figure it out next year, we may have to talk about Giannis because he had an outstanding year last year, but he got hurt. Or there is also Wemby…A 7”5 guy with an 8 foot wingspan who plays like a guard is pretty marketable lol.
The thing that is most consistent about Face of thr NBA is each of these players have lots of rings. It's almost a hindsight thing. We don't know who is going to be the face because nobody has left that much of a dominant impression. Luka and almost all frontrunners have the records, Jokic and Kumpo has the MVPs. We just need someone to stand head and shoulders above the rest.
Giannis might literally be the most famous non Lebron and Steph player in the league, his overall KPIs since 2018/2019 has been insane. But he is 29 so I don’t think he’ll be the next “face” unless he has Lebron like longevity
The sports media obvious problem of who they push and why they disregard others will be the reason they become the old media. People such as Low and others that actually love the game and have a platform to talk about the correct players will lead the way into the new media of the people
Wait did my guy say Larry Bird didn’t have a personality that dude had hella personality what the hell this dude on about man had KG levels of trash talk and randomly decides to use his left hand in a game just cuz and drops 40 with only his left wtf dawg you tripping
He means ig Bird was not someone who was more city than country and prolly preferred less media coverage and exposure. He simply loved the game and backing up his trash talk. I'm guessing
Being the face of the league should not be a question about how marketable a player is but a conversation about talent, MVPs and rings. The rest is pure noise. In football (soccer for US Americans) a player like Messi (introvert, shy, silent, not commercial) is considered the best in history. I find Jokic the closest example to a Messi in the NBA, he does not like flashes but when it comes to the important moments he kicks ass. For US American media is hard to watch because he is a random Serbian dude, chubby, and likes to spend time in his farm with his horses.
I think the face of NBA should represent the peoples of the NBA and unfortunately Luca is my N°1 but the NBA is American not that much International ( because no other competitions to challenge them) they are focus to them so the face should be American. Maybe unfair but real.
Luka is a generational talent. He's a scoring and a record breaking machine. He's arguably the best and most talented player in the league and unquestionably one of the very best. He's having one of the best individual seasons ever. He's one of the best passers in the league. He's young, good looking, and he's putting up crazy stats night after night with flair and great style and he can do magic things on the court. Luka magic.'' ''Luka is doing Luka things.'' There's no question if he was a black American they would be pushing him hard to be the new face of the NBA.
There's nothing remotely boring about Luka. He's a magician on the court. Why do you think they say shit like ''Luka magic'' and ''Luka is doing Luka things,'' Einstein?
@@strontium2955 He's no Michael Jordan!! HE was BREATHTAKING!! Luka is just "really good at basketball". Ever see a Doctor J highlight? I'll take that over a "stepback 3".
@@darrengordon-hill Nah, he's a great player and he's only a baby with many years to come and may more records to break ahead of him. You seem very threatened by him and you're already having to travel back in your time machine to try and discredit him which kind of proves my point for me.
giannis has the personality but is older than we would want. I think there are too many good players for you to not want it. The people that were promoted previously out of necessity like bird and kareem. More stoic but the best players in a league that doesn’t have a lot of players on their level. Bird needed magic to sell to everyone. It is hard for a foreign player to resonate enough with us to make them the face. This is still an american league. Just because you get all star votes doesn’t mean anything because anyone anywhere can vote. A lot of these players I just feel like they don’t take it as serious. Being the face isn’t just a title. It is a job. Signing up to be under a microscope, getting more scrutiny than normal, expected to be consulted on certain decisions, voicing opinions, always talking to the media
To me Jokic is the face of the NBA, that man is doing more for the league and having people watch it again after a long time, generational talent to say the least
Itll be whoever wins the most championships and MVPs. Right now, Tatum is the only young player consistently in MVP and championship conversation so its most likely him. We'll see.
The fact that giannis and jokic are ignored in this situation is hilarious To me two of the most dynamic players of all time can play make can finish serviceable shooting personality defending are all traits these two have and it’s wild to me
The face now in luka and Jokic and Manyama while Shay and Edwards need to do way more media promotion for the fans to know them , you always see luka and Jokic interview on TV or the internet especially on TNT after games
Basketball after 1992 dream team in the Olympics the game is so popular around the world after soccer and soccer is spreading in the USA as well and it shows like Germany is the FIBA world champion and beating France or Spain or Serbia is very difficult last fifteen years
I love that everyone says Tatum isn't entertaining when he has been one of the highest jersey sellers for years. Far longer than Ja, Ant, Booker, or any young US born player. The media has so many options and yet they chose none. The foreign players are dominating the game. Even Wemby's haype has died down a bit in the media despite him having a historic rookie season.
I also think people who are deeply entrenched in the NBA community can be blind to the answer here. Face is about who’s popular (especially amongst casuals and non fans), pulling in views, is likeable and is a great player. I find it so hard to look past Luka for the future. As of right now, the big hitters are Giannis, LeBron, Luka, Steph and Jokic a little
Bird was marketed as a rivalry, he couldn’t have been a face of the league of magic didn’t buy into it. The team rivalry in a while made it Moore marketable and believable. The history between Magic and bird prior to the NBA also supported the rivalry narrative.
Bird wasn’t as charismatic in terms of bringing a super spokesperson for brands in his days. BUT he definitely was marketable in terms of talking that talk and walking that walk. He talked his shit. Like if jokic or Luka ran their mouth more or talked like they were the best it would be a done deal. Everyone loves bird because he’d tell you how he’d brat you and then do it. He had that country swag.
They're not saying Luka because they're racist. He got more votes, is more popular, is a better player. He inspires little white kids, our current societal narrative doesn't like that.
This is why I watch LoW. You’re not blind to what Luka is doing idk why so many ppl try to ignore what he’s done his first 6 years. It’s historic
Playoff success until he gets some like Jokic did he will always have that red flag over him
@@baseupp12 he doesn’t have the luxury of playing in a weak conference nor has had good teams until now. He just turned 25 and he has a red flag over him bc he hasn’t won a ring?! If he had Tatums teams then I’d agree but no. Ppl like you ruin basketball discourse
@@baseupp12he made the conference finals while putting up historic numbers on a not so great team. He hasn’t had the help needed to win. And you know he’s only 25. Since when did a player need to win a ring before 25 to be considered great?
@@IKBanksI he doesn't need a ring to be great but to be face of the league or potential best player he needs a ring until then can't give him the title.
Bcos they’re xenophobic
The most pointless convo in the nba community. I personally don't care who the media determines to be the 'face' but Giannis currently has that role imo
I think it’s important whether it seems pointless or not
How is it important in any way? This is legit just a title given by the media.@@HoopEnthusiasts
@@Foreriverricky I think it’s only wemby. U have to be a consistent top 2 player every season while making at least the conference every 3 years. And be a big reason why ur team succeeds. Tatum luka aren’t qualifiers for this reason. Ant and wemby or even jokic 🤷♂️
Ant and wemby are going to be dominant on both sides and jokic is the best player already so it’s between those . Luka will be better than ant but it will be like Tim vs Kobe in the mid 2000s. Jokic only because he is the best player in the league.
It's important for marketing steph and Bron are the biggest money makers for the NBA every year no face less money for the league @@Foreriverricky
*i always roll my eyes when kendrick perkins is on a panel and roll my eyes even further when he starts talking*
Being the face of the NBA is more of a marketing concern the fans already have their favorite players and could care less about a face
This shouldn’t even be arguable
Exactly
Luka already is the face of the nba for international viewers
Idk theirs just too many great foreigners in the NBA today
Nah for me its wemby by far
There are a lot of great foreign players in the nba, but by far at least in chile Luka is king
100%
@@travisnoffsinger4507are you serious? Is anyone else playing close to Luka from Europe
Not even mentioing luka is wild 😂😂😂
Racist.
ESPN is telling only lies. They ignore a lot and pushing narratives like Embiid and Tatum Mvp...
@@travisnoffsinger4507lucas fan like him just because he white and cry about racism
0:35 2:37 What are you even talking about?
I see a lot of Luka jerseys in Europe and some can't name 2 others that play with him. I can see him making it a global specially because before the NBA he was already loved at REAL FKING MADRID and that club is bigger than half nba teams combined.
I feel like the “face of the nba” really is an old media idea that they can’t seem to let go of. I understand the idea of it when it comes to tv marketing but it’s not like a superstar being at a small market matters when you can find a guy on instagram or through other platforms to watch them as much as they want
Nobody cares about IG.
I’m sure it’s a cool thing to be labeled, but as you said, being the face of the league means less when social media is a thing and anyone could look up highlights of just about any player they are curious about.
2000’s were probably the last decade before social media impacted all that. Feel free to correct me if I’m wrong.
It is an old media idea. That's how the NBA has marketed the NBA and it's best players over the last 30+ years
Nba doesn’t need a “face of the nba” it’s a monopoly for Christ sake
The “face of the nba” will always be whoever wins the mvp and best player on the championship team. And if you win a couple rings and mvps like bron and Steph, then your reign as the face will last longer. It’s not that deep
The answer is Giannis, he already gets the most allstar votes, he has the personality and marketability. This is not complicated
Giannis is almost in his 30s tho. He’s not gonna be around for that much longer, I doubt he’ll be the face for the next decade.
Steph and lebron are still bigger names with higher jersey sales year by year. Also, Tatum is arguably bigger
@@OffTopicKamahTatum 😭😭😭
@@cyrillesuhe’s almost 30 and he’s peaked popularity wise.
@@joshuad24 Giannis? I don't give a shit. He's arguably the best player in the world right now and he actually cares about entertaining y'all which seems to be your biggest complaint about Jokic. I don't hear y'all whining about Bron being the face of the league in his 30s so you're just being a hypocrite. Just say you don't like foreign players.
I’ve been impressed with Luka since his rookie season. I was wondering how much better could he get. I think he has another level he can reach.
Arguably the best since second year
Another level the league is cooked😫
Birds personality was his confidence. The stories of him in crunch time are absolutely bonkers. Saving his right hand for the lakers is crazy. That’s how bird was charismatic
Bird was wild as hell. In term of trash talk he was MJ before MJ.
No one ever thought dirk was gave of league it was shaq Kobe lebron Steph lebron and still lebron 😂 .
Bird was the best trash talker of that era. His trash talking stories are legendary. Only MJ is anywhere close.
Facts it's wild they asked Tatum that dumb question like he is an old head now
He's literally 19!!!!!!
Especially when his team is having a historic season 😂 and he’s been a top 5-10 player for years now
@@Captainaceguy00I even argue that he’s the best SF in the last 2-3 seasons cuz to me Bron and KD fell off
@@Captainaceguy00Exactly
@@jothompson7610 I think bron and kd are still better, but it’s not hard to see why you would put Tatum at 1. He’s been killing it
Popularity contests is what gives Perk content. Even without the legends we are used to we still have a league where we have Jokic whos at worst top 10 at his position all time, Giannis who's at this point like top 3 all time at his position and guys like Luka Shai etc who are literally only just entering their prime. Yeah these players are less popular but the league will be fine.
Giannis is not top 3 in his position lol
@@DigontoZahid-lc7kt Thats not really the point but it's debatable and shows how much quality there still is in the league without KD Steph Bron etc.
Funny how pink players aren't expected to play defense. Lower expectations for inferior people I guess 🤷🏿♂️
Problem is that they will try to put an American guy but the best players are foreigners 😂
And boring that’s the actual problem but yes a euro wouldn’t get it anyway but boring yet and still
Yeah cus they try hard to push Tatum
@@CrushWildmanyou think Luka is boring? Jokic aint boring either
@@joeclarke7982 no I don’t think either one is boring personality wise or game was but I’m just an unbias person and I can see from different perspectives so yea American sport in an American League can’t make a Serbian Cowboy the face and Luka is cool to me on and off the court but how can you push him as the face of a predominantly black league if it gets to a point where A European is the face (as much as I want it to be wemby) I can see the NBA in a battle for viewership with the Euroleague can man they’re damn sure entertaining too so if a euro is the face they might accidentally create their own enemy. Man NBA is a business more than a sport they only want to push out self beneficial agenda
@@CrushWildmanLuka , Wemby, Giannis , Jokic , SGA , Jamal Murray .. are boring 🤣😂
No other major league in the world cares if their superstar is native or not, why is it such a central issue here? It’s so stupid
Because it's been a thing for primarily African Americans sense the 90s they don't want to lose there position in this sport
The disrespect to Giannas and Jokic at this point in their respective careers is beyond disgusting. I understand Jokic is just the funny the horse guy and that’s all we get from off the court. But Giannas has great personality and is putting up great numbers night and night out. The disrespect is crazy
Bro, you are one of the few sane and non bias people commenting on the NBA.
I grew up admiring Kobe, I love American players, and I’m always shocked by the disrespect my dear foreign players get.
You right about the DMitch thing but he did get some hype his rookie season(he was runner up for ROY and had the Ben Simmons narrative going for him), but Tatum was criminally overlooked. I’m pretty sure Kyle Kuzma got more buzz that season than Tatum…
Tatum finished 3rd in ROY and Kuzma finished 4th and everybody and they mama been dickriding Tatum since his rookie year playoffs so ur wrong
Perk stops nodding and starts negating with his head THE MOMENT Stephen A. says "Luka"
11:57
He can't even dissimulate his hatred for the guy ffs
All because he is a euro smh
@@4FatHoesInAHonda**white
@@4FatHoesInAHondanah Perkins is legitimately racist he's always dissed white players
You can tell that Perks is just biting his tongue not to say something raysist.
Social media doesn't matter as much as yall think it does. Your game, look, and personality trumps that.
Ie black privilege
The only reason this conversation is happening is for coping with how we're in the Jokić Era. Same thing with the minimum games conversation. Anything but recognition
It's Wemby. He's the only one who has the potential to be the face.
Yeah and he want it
Eh he doesn't really have much of a personality imo
He's kind of like Tim Duncan. Absolute beast but i just don't see him being the face of the NBA.
@@gotworcThat means nothing. Dennis Rodman was prob the most interesting NBA player in existence and he was never the face. It’ll be Giannis, Embiid, and Jokic.
A rookie on a loosing team lol lot of people drink the Kool aid apparently...
You are right about larry bird not liking the limelight and not having the most outward personality, but I think a couple of things helped him stay likable/marketable. One, similar to Jordan and Kobe, he was ridiculously ultra competitive which showed often enough his personality, and I also think there is something inherently likable about ultra competitive players. The second being his connection with magic definitely helped, Larry being strongly associated with magic definitely helped a lot and I think once they became close friends in the mid 80s that also helped push Larry.
Everyone loves superstar rivalries and players who thrive in the clutch. Players who can talk sh!t and back it up or outplay other players if they talk sh!t to you become legends through the stories of their exploits.
Bird has all of it. If he was just a white guy who played better than everyone else, he wouldn't be anywhere near as popular as he got. It's the storylines along the way that build legend status.
I think it's going to be like it was in the 2000s where they really wasn't any definitive face of the league just a bunch of names that all have a case. Lebron, Kobe, Shaq, Duncan, Iverson etc.
I agree I think it’s gonna be a group thing
Fair point
This is their job to push the new faces lol these guys almost 30 and they talking bout who gone get the marketing when lebron leaves when they turn 30 😂😂
Perks right at least for a while. It’ll be collectively not another Bron MJ like that
It’s gonna be Luka or Wemby
@@isaiahh4108 part of it it’ll be like a handful of players
@@isaiahh4108I don't know man Shai is on an MVP level right now and I think Ant will get there next, and behind them Paolo will also be there to many guys right now could be MVP level and lead their teams deep into the playoffs
@@baseupp12I mean let’s not act like Luka isn’t a monster in the playoffs and can upset any team, The players you named not even playoff tested yet
It depends whether one of these guys really dominates to the point where it’s undeniable, Wemby most likely
Let's call a spade a spade. They're not bringing up certain names because they're not black or as the type of black that can be identified with
A pivotal piece in marketing someone like bird was the magic rivalry alittle race war mixed in back then also😂
Well the thing about people like Bill Russel, Kareem, and Bird is that while they weren't marketable, they were so dominant (damn near every finals in their decades) that everyone had to know them. Imagine Luka (or any young one for that matter) going to the finals for the next 4 or 5 years consistently, then we gonna HAVE to talk about him. When the media ain't pushing, winning is the only solution.
Bro it’s not just about being great it’s about challenging the greatest ever
Imo its easily wemby
I agree, hes getting the rookie bron treatment. his ceiling is so high that anything less than fantastic is a failure to people.
Should be in a few years.
@@battousaithekingslayer9913gotta have a winning team though for people to start caring. Spurs need to get a star guard to pair with him
@@felix3033need to get ice trae
@@felix3033 not true at all, bron aint start making the playoffs until his 3rd season but he was still talked about as a top 10 - 15 player and was hyped as the next jordan. people have tk learn to let lottery teams develop
We’re acting like Adam Silver didn’t use rookie Wemby to unveil NBA AI, seems pretty clear to me who he is gonna make the next face 🤷♂️
Every video ive seen about Larry Bird showed he has a great personality and when any player talked about him they said how great of a trash talker he was during his career. Bird had one of the biggest nba personalities
Luka and Wemby are the futures faces. Tatum could also but tbh I think people look at him and JB as a duo more than individuals so that’s holding him back
Tatum absolutely sucks in the clutch. He won’t be taken seriously as an elite player that could win mvp until he overcomes his choking tendencies.
You said it. Americans don't relate with Jokic, Luka or Giannis as they have very different mentalities
I really think Wemby is gonna be. I love all these guys but we never seen a Wemby.
If the spurs were even like 20% better than they are now, wemby would be getting double the amount of media coverage he’s getting rn
No one really talks about Jaquez from the Miami Heat
@@dreamcage1801 hes cool but no way hes the next face bro
@@Oblique18888 bruh dude has got the tools to be a great player
@@dreamcage1801he not gone be a face of the league type of player can be a all star doe
It's Wemby, no question. He's the future
I dont care who will be the face of NBA.. All i want to do, is to witness who will be the champions..
Bird didnt have the charisma that magic had. In fact he was horrible with the media. He was just a good trash talker and he didnt look like he can hoop. His physical appearance was sorta captivating
Magic didn't look like a hooper either. He was thick. Bird in college did and early years
Magic had the charisma and the smile. @@rockysalvatore435
Why not Wemby? Hes gonna be the best player in the world for years to come (barring injury), and he does want to be recognized as the GOAT eventually
They definitely want a blacker and more American player, but not Shai because he's Canadian, they want someone from the US, but no one raises to the level, Jokic and Giannis could be the face of basketball, but they don't want a white "slow" man representing the NBA, or an European born black guy that does not act like a fool, they truly want Jason Tatum to be the face, but he just doesn't have it. They rather settle with Ja than acknowledging Wemby.
I think you are right about them wanting Tatum to be the face, and you’re very correct in stating that he is not that guy. It’s honestly pretty annoying that they’re trying to make him that guy. The next crop of superstars besides Ant and Chet (which we will see about him) are all going to be foreign. Maybe Cooper Flagg will change that
Lol yeah right...
Barring injury? That dude is 7’5 with KD’s build. He’s definitely going to get injured and it’s only a matter of time as unfortunate as that may be.
@@MaximusR93 Yes, i do believe Ant is cut from that cloth, and Chet looks like a guy with a lot to prove, i agree that the top 10 best players will be mostly filled with foreigners, they just take it more seriously.
Tatum still doesn’t get talked about enough. They keep talking about Lebron being 103 years old and what he’s doing. Is anyone else seeing him not playing any defense, and some offensive possessions just standing in the corner. Saving himself for easy layups and dunks. The lakers play 4vs5 most of the time he’s on the court. Tatum, Edwards,Luka, SGA, and what jokic is doing every night needs to be talked about more.
I need to see a debate between SAS and Low🤣🤣🤣
Great take. This convo is crazy, the NBA pretends to crown a World Champion, wants to be a global game but the size of its local US market would determine who could be the face of the league?
Unfortunately the "face" of the League would need to be a player from Boston, NY, the Lakers, Warriors or Bulls- MAYBE Miami.
A guy from Milwaukee, Denver, OKC, Minnesota, etc. Will have a MUCH harder time because of media markets and coverage. It took LeBron being the most hyped HS prospect ever to overcome playing in the Cleveland market.
This is not a good thing btw, just unfortunately how the NBA works. But a dynasty CAN put an organization on the map and make it a huge, popular market. It won't always (The Spurs) but it can (Golden State)
Jalen Brunson could be🤷♂️
News flash no one cared about the dubs and bulls before Steph/Jordan. I watch the nuggets, mavs and bucks just for their players.
Not true, Los Angeles basketball market in the 70s before showtime was treated as the current Rams-Chargers NFL market, nobody cares until they started winning chips.
The face of the league can turn a small market to a dominant culture. Look at Dallas a team that has no football team, but is a good basketball market.
This market thing doesn’t make sense as because what will the NBA get if the same big markets are getting superstar players, a boring competition.
On top of that, the big market puts pressure on any star. Look what happened to Carmelo Anthony and NYK,
The new face of the NBA comes down to star on the franchise that got front office and coaches scheming in order on a clear cultural goal to create a dynasty.
@@liftedmarco4976 read my reply to myself
Idk who it’s gonna be rn but wemby will be the face one day no question. His game/highlights is alr the most entertaining imo if he starts winning I think it’s no question it will be him
Do people think that when Jordan retired from the Bulls, Kobe automatically became the face of the league? There was definitely a point in time where the NBA didn’t have a face of the league. They were looking for the guy that would become that.
No because LeBron already led the league in jersey sales his rookie season in 2003-04. Kobe was never the clear cut face because of LeBron. They were both faces at the time along with Shaq, AI etc
It takes a lot of courage for a black man to admit white guys are the best stars in the NBA. Something the big media analysts dont have.
When you watch Luka on JJ Redick's podcast, it becomes obvious why these guys won't push him as the face of the league. He's a quiet guy, doesn't speak loud, doesn't give the media why to work with. The same as Jokic. And Stephen A is right when he talks about the importance of wanting to be put on this position. They don't.
And the fact that Lebron is still playing just make it mor difficult.
Their personality doesn't appeal to urban audiences. Just like white rappers
Luka, Giannis and Jokic are icons in the making. I don't think ESPN can force anyone to become the next face of the NBA despite having these on-air annoying conversations. It has to happen organically.
Larry bird didnt need personality beacuse he had magic they were Yin and Yang as faces of the leauge then Jordan took over then Kobe then Bron then Steph Now we got Antman Shai and JT cant forget about Luka and just look at what a rookie Wemby is doing the leauge will be fine media just gotta find sombody thats american to glaze cuz we see how they treat Euros the Xenophobia is crazy
I'm pretty sure Tatum has been top 5 in jersey sales for the last 3 seasons. What do you want Tatum to do. Also, Luka goes crazy and he is the ultimate meme machine. My favorite tho, would have been if they leaned into the rivalry between Giannis, Embiid, and Jokic. Why can't the media push 3 bigs with vastly different personalities that are all dominant at historic levels and have been in a 3 man MVP race for 4 years.
Who are we gonna spend all season talking about for the next decade instead of actually watching basketball
You know how long it takes to watch ONE basketball game??
We going to be talking about roster rotation than players based off the fact that this generation is barely playing defense
The NBA is dope. I watch all the games. Its how I relax and chill my brain.
Couple rules to be the face of the NBA
1. Must be a american born player
2. must be entertaining
3. Must have a Likeable/arrogant personality
4. Must play in a big market
Cooper Flagg but he’s white .. he’s disqualified
Miss us with the arrogant, big market, birthplace, “entertaining” tropes 😂 If they’re good enough to be in the nba and shine, then they’re good enough for any of the nba considerations.
@@mosessupposes2571 Name one person that has ever been the face of the NBA that doesn't fit these Quanterious
Bro I was with u but to say Bird didnt have no personality is wild. His trash talk was next level and he knew people couldn't handle his shooting... the mfer played a whole game left handed cos he said he wanted to save his right for the next game 😂😂
Bad faith convo from both sides imo bc the knock on Luka, from what I have heard around me, is that the guy ain't as accomplished and is yet to make that leap - whether or not you think that is because his teammates are bad (which isn't true over time) is redundant (I even remember when LOW himself made a Vid on why Luka won't win with the playstyle he currently employs). LOW does a good job with the notion of why Luka should be the face but I would say that if Tatum wins a ring, he's the face - much like how Kobe was the face in the mid 00's despite LeBron going on a statistical tear of his own back then.
The market is an issue for a team like New Orleans. The media swears every star that goes there wants out or shouldn’t be there. It’s annoying
They don’t want Giannas to be face of the league because he is an African from Greece and he doesn’t act American. Jokic because he isn’t athletic and he is euro player and he doesn’t have sexy highlights, he is not flying and dunking or cross people up or scoring like a gunner. They much rather have embiid but he hasn’t won enough didn’t even make the ECF. Shai is just like drake, people didn’t respect drake because he was from Toronto and had that role in degrassi but earned it regardless how he did it. Tatum and edwards is the best option for an AMERICAN face of the league but Tatum has a better chance because he been to like 3 ECF and one finals. The Luka thing, I feel like people want to crown him but his game is too similar to harden but granted he is a level above harden so we will wait and see.
Tatum is more "model" features.
Like, literally DESIGNED to be marketed.
Antman a lil too "hood" for mant
He needs to mature
To be face of the league you need to have quotables, iconic shoes, iconic moments, multiple championships/MVPs, a title contender damn near every year, play in a big market, emote throughout games, and more. There are so many things that Magic, Bird, Jordan, Kobe, Lebron Steph and arguably Shaq did/had that I can’t see Luka, Shaq, Tatum, etc doing/having.
The way things are panning out, there will be 3-4 faces of the league, but I don’t see there being a single face like we’ve had in the past.
My nigga Luka keep getting disrespected he’s the second best player in the nba has an underrated personality and is only 25😂
Well everybody wants Jayson Tatum because he's supposedly significantly better than SGA,Curry,Jokic,Embiid,Luka,Giannis,Lebron,Kawhi and Kevin Durant 🤷🏿♂️
@@seanmc5949 yeah I don’t know man nba fans are the dumbest
Not about being the best lol or stats or u gotta want to care about the league all star stuff and be super marketable while being good . He just super good and non of those things he doesn’t care about the rest
I think the issue is that there are actually so many great young players that it is hard to choose.
If the Bucks can figure it out next year, we may have to talk about Giannis because he had an outstanding year last year, but he got hurt.
Or there is also Wemby…A 7”5 guy with an 8 foot wingspan who plays like a guard is pretty marketable lol.
The thing that is most consistent about Face of thr NBA is each of these players have lots of rings. It's almost a hindsight thing. We don't know who is going to be the face because nobody has left that much of a dominant impression. Luka and almost all frontrunners have the records, Jokic and Kumpo has the MVPs. We just need someone to stand head and shoulders above the rest.
The Luka disrespect is unreal man 🤦♂️
Poalo is experiencing that young DBook effect too (great player bad team). A 1st ovr pick playing amazing since yr one getting no shine
Theres one name that proves your point at 10:57 about using all star weekend to boost your name.....Mac Mcclung.
Giannis might literally be the most famous non Lebron and Steph player in the league, his overall KPIs since 2018/2019 has been insane. But he is 29 so I don’t think he’ll be the next “face” unless he has Lebron like longevity
He will
He’s 30 lol
The sports media obvious problem of who they push and why they disregard others will be the reason they become the old media. People such as Low and others that actually love the game and have a platform to talk about the correct players will lead the way into the new media of the people
but its sad cause they are the ones voting and such blatant bias agaibst euros is sickening
As a soccer fan I watch this discussion with a certain amount of bewilderment. Why do you need a face of the league?
Thorough, agree with your takes here, subscribing
Wait did my guy say Larry Bird didn’t have a personality that dude had hella personality what the hell this dude on about man had KG levels of trash talk and randomly decides to use his left hand in a game just cuz and drops 40 with only his left wtf dawg you tripping
He means ig Bird was not someone who was more city than country and prolly preferred less media coverage and exposure. He simply loved the game and backing up his trash talk. I'm guessing
Being the face of the league should not be a question about how marketable a player is but a conversation about talent, MVPs and rings. The rest is pure noise. In football (soccer for US Americans) a player like Messi (introvert, shy, silent, not commercial) is considered the best in history. I find Jokic the closest example to a Messi in the NBA, he does not like flashes but when it comes to the important moments he kicks ass. For US American media is hard to watch because he is a random Serbian dude, chubby, and likes to spend time in his farm with his horses.
I think the face of NBA should represent the peoples of the NBA and unfortunately Luca is my N°1 but the NBA is American not that much International ( because no other competitions to challenge them) they are focus to them so the face should be American. Maybe unfair but real.
Luka is a generational talent. He's a scoring and a record breaking machine. He's arguably the best and most talented player in the league and unquestionably one of the very best. He's having one of the best individual seasons ever. He's one of the best passers in the league. He's young, good looking, and he's putting up crazy stats night after night with flair and great style and he can do magic things on the court. Luka magic.'' ''Luka is doing Luka things.'' There's no question if he was a black American they would be pushing him hard to be the new face of the NBA.
BOOOOOOOOORING
There's nothing remotely boring about Luka. He's a magician on the court. Why do you think they say shit like ''Luka magic'' and ''Luka is doing Luka things,'' Einstein?
@@strontium2955
He's no Michael Jordan!!
HE was BREATHTAKING!!
Luka is just "really good at basketball".
Ever see a Doctor J highlight?
I'll take that over a "stepback 3".
@@darrengordon-hill Nah, he's a great player and he's only a baby with many years to come and may more records to break ahead of him. You seem very threatened by him and you're already having to travel back in your time machine to try and discredit him which kind of proves my point for me.
@@darrengordon-hill your ignorance is astounding. Dr. J wasnt even in the nba for most of his career.
giannis has the personality but is older than we would want. I think there are too many good players for you to not want it. The people that were promoted previously out of necessity like bird and kareem. More stoic but the best players in a league that doesn’t have a lot of players on their level. Bird needed magic to sell to everyone. It is hard for a foreign player to resonate enough with us to make them the face. This is still an american league. Just because you get all star votes doesn’t mean anything because anyone anywhere can vote. A lot of these players I just feel like they don’t take it as serious. Being the face isn’t just a title. It is a job. Signing up to be under a microscope, getting more scrutiny than normal, expected to be consulted on certain decisions, voicing opinions, always talking to the media
Luka maybe but jokic more specifically has made it clear he doesn’t want the attention. There are too many great players to waste that title on jokic.
To me Jokic is the face of the NBA, that man is doing more for the league and having people watch it again after a long time, generational talent to say the least
They had the same discussion when people like wilt and bill Russell started making waves.
Itll be whoever wins the most championships and MVPs. Right now, Tatum is the only young player consistently in MVP and championship conversation so its most likely him. We'll see.
It's Jayson Tatum. He has the accolades, team success and stats. All he's missing really is a chip. Once he wins a title, it's his
If he wins a title. His clutch shooting percentage is among the worst in the NBA.
The fact that giannis and jokic are ignored in this situation is hilarious To me two of the most dynamic players of all time can play make can finish serviceable shooting personality defending are all traits these two have and it’s wild to me
i got my bets on paolo or wemby. paolo has that chance if he got longevity hes him.
The face now in luka and Jokic and Manyama while Shay and Edwards need to do way more media promotion for the fans to know them , you always see luka and Jokic interview on TV or the internet especially on TNT after games
I’m with Perk. Luka is a beast but I think it’s a collective group.
Sometimes, the face of the NBA just happens. I don't think anyone thought Curry would be until he beat Lebron, the prior face in the finals.
All Facts. Lebron, MJ, Bird, Magic, and Luka are the only players you knew were going to be all time imo.
Basketball after 1992 dream team in the Olympics the game is so popular around the world after soccer and soccer is spreading in the USA as well and it shows like Germany is the FIBA world champion and beating France or Spain or Serbia is very difficult last fifteen years
The face of the league has to be a consensus top 3 player in the league and a dominant game eg. Over 27 ppg
I love that everyone says Tatum isn't entertaining when he has been one of the highest jersey sellers for years. Far longer than Ja, Ant, Booker, or any young US born player. The media has so many options and yet they chose none. The foreign players are dominating the game. Even Wemby's haype has died down a bit in the media despite him having a historic rookie season.
Banchero has had 1 national tv game, market definitely matters to some degree
I also think people who are deeply entrenched in the NBA community can be blind to the answer here. Face is about who’s popular (especially amongst casuals and non fans), pulling in views, is likeable and is a great player. I find it so hard to look past Luka for the future. As of right now, the big hitters are Giannis, LeBron, Luka, Steph and Jokic a little
Bird was marketed as a rivalry, he couldn’t have been a face of the league of magic didn’t buy into it. The team rivalry in a while made it Moore marketable and believable. The history between Magic and bird prior to the NBA also supported the rivalry narrative.
I must have missed the moment when the NBA became a Netflix show.
Why are they looking at the next face when people like Giannis, Luka and Joker exist ???
Giannis, Jokic, and Tatum would be considered the faces of the nba in my eyes
Where playback at?
Bird wasn’t as charismatic in terms of bringing a super spokesperson for brands in his days. BUT he definitely was marketable in terms of talking that talk and walking that walk. He talked his shit. Like if jokic or Luka ran their mouth more or talked like they were the best it would be a done deal. Everyone loves bird because he’d tell you how he’d brat you and then do it. He had that country swag.
Bird was marketable AF cause he was white lol And the fact that he was dope AF too took it over the top
i feel like they pushed bird and his personality like that bc it was him vs magic. it was flashy vs simple and both sides were competitive.
And Bird played the second flashiest passes in the league, only behind magic in that regard, his playstyle was still pretty flashy
Serious question who was the face of the nba from 1999-2007 ?
Ik Jordan was 1988-1998
Duncan and Robinson got that 99 strike chip and began their dynasty, then Shaq and Kobe, took off, D Wade broke through, but I'd pick Kobe.
99-2007 was Kobe then LeBron
They're not saying Luka because they're racist. He got more votes, is more popular, is a better player. He inspires little white kids, our current societal narrative doesn't like that.
Luka has a big Spanish speaking follower ship and that makes him marketable
If Gianni’s left and went to Miami like the league wanted he would be the face right now they hate Gianni’s for staying in Milwaukee