Being the face of the NBA could be a burden for a lot of players that are not ready to take on the responsibility to carry the weight of a very popular sport on a person’s back.
Even if a player is really good or great at his craft, that does not translate into charisma off the court and the capacity to excel at public relationships and creating an appealing brand.
That’s something that ballers like Anthony Edwards knows too well. The Minnesota Timberwolves superstar is only one of five players in NBA history that leads their draft class (2020) in total points, free throws made, steals and three-pointers made.
That puts the former Georgia Bulldogs standout on a pretty good spot to be the face of the league, but that’s something that does not sit well with him due to all of the pressure that comes with it, so he prefers to avoid the spotlight and just enjoy his time in the NBA.
LeBron James agrees with Anthony Edwards
This topic is something LeBron James knows all too well. Ever since he entered the league, the Akron, Ohio native has been the face of the NBA due to his incredible talent, his out of this world skills and his pursue for greatness, something that has put his name next to Michael Jordan as the best basketball players ever.
When asked about his stance on the matter, Bron cited one of his former teammates with the Cleveland Cavaliers – Channing Frye – to explain his take. “Ant already said he does not want it, Ant said he does not want to deal with that s***”.
“It’s unfortunate but why do you want to be the face of the league when all the people that cover our game, talk about our game on a day-to-day basis basically s*** on everybody. And with that responsibility is just weird energy from the people.” James added.
He mentioned the fact that he didn’t wanted to be the face of the league “but I knew that was a responsibility for me not only to my family, my friends and my community, and whoever was going to follow my journey, my career, not only in Ohio when I started there, but over America and all over the world, I’ve always taking that seriously and understood from the beginning what being a professional was all about.”
Carmelo Anthony blasts Anthony Edwards
Not all former NBA players agree with Edwards position on not wanting to be the face of the league. Former baller Carmelo Anthony had some strong words for the Timberwolves superstar, questioning how can he turn down the responsibility while still enjoying all the perks that come with it.
“ANT CAN’T REJECT TO BE THE NBA’S FACE!” Melo fired off during a discussion about Edwards’ recent comments. He argued that being the face of the league isn’t something players get to pick and choose, it’s something that comes with success, whether they want it or not. If Ant truly wants to reject the role, Melo says, he’d have to go all the way, no commercials, no endorsements, no brand deals.
That’s where things get tricky. Edwards, despite his reluctance to carry the league’s image, has already secured major deals with brands like Sprite and Adidas. Melo pointed out the contradiction, questioning how someone can shy away from the spotlight while still signing contracts that put them front and center in marketing campaigns. To him, it doesn’t add up.
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