There are so many great young stars in the league and there is more talent now than there's ever been. On my original list, there were players such as Memphis Grizzlies star guard Ja Morant but he got into trouble. There was also New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson, who has been plagued by injuries and is still not fully where we expected him to be at this point in his career.
We've also seen new young stars emerge and take their games to the next level since then, such as Tyrese Haliburton of the Indiana Pacers, Oklahoma City Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and the Minnesota Timberwolves highflying Anthony Edwards, who became the "Alpha" on the Wolves, and the best rookie since LeBron James entered the league in the San Antonio Spurs phenomenon in Victor Wembanyama.
With LeBron approaching 40, having just surpassed the 40K points plateau (the first player to do so) and Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry in their mid-30s as well, the league is in a transition of eras as we watch before our eyes. The question that has been asked around the NBA to the media and even the players is: who's next to carry the mantle?
In this article, I'll dive into five potential players with a chance to become the "Next Face of the NBA," with one of them still being in high school.
Lets dive in. Honorable Mentions: Tyrese Haliburton, Paolo Banchero, Chet Holmgren, Devin Booker, Zion Williamson, Ja Morant, Trae Young