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
5. Cooper Flagg- Montverde Academy, Senior, Committed to Duke
Having a high school kid on here is audacious (I know) but hear me out. This isn't your ordinary high school star. Flagg has been in the limelight since his freshman year of high school and his fame and game have continued to elevate even more, especially after his showing at the EYBL Circuit last summer, where he set the single-game record for points in a game with 52 on an absurd 16-of-18 from the field to go along with 12 rebounds!
He's a 6'9, lengthy, uber-athletic forward who's a generational versatile defender who can guard up to four positions on the court. His defensive instincts are second to none and he plays with as much effort defensively as he does offensively, which is rare to see in anyone, let alone a high school kid.
I even called him the "Best American Prospect Since LeBron James," considering he's been on the NBA's channel, where they've showcased his EYBL and high school games on Montverde... That's how good he is.
He was even featured on the NBA's channel, where they broadcast his EYBL games. That's how good he is. Flagg has accumulated triple-doubles with blocks on the circuit and he's doing that as a 6'9 wing who also set the EYBL single-game scoring record with 52 points!
Just check out this game where he had a 38-point triple-double with 16 rebounds and 11 blocks! Yes, you read that correctly—11 blocks!
Flagg is currently the No. 1 overall player in the Class of 2024 and is the favorite to be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. He also just won the National Gatorade Player of the Year.
He's a highly acclaimed Montverde Academy senior, with a loaded squad averaging 16.1 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.6 steals per game. Flagg is committed to playing for the Duke Blue Devils next season as a projected one-and-done.
4. Jayson Tatum, Forward, Boston Celtics
It seems like Tatum has gone a bit underappreciated when we talk about some of the games best young stars and who could potentially be potentially the "Next Face Of The NBA," as he just turned recently 26 years old.
Of all his peers in his generation, Tatum has had the most postseason success by far, with an NBA Finals appearance in 2022 and reaching the Conference Finals four times (2018, 2020, 2022, 2023) and the playoffs every year of his career.
He's had some historic postseason performances, such as his 51-point Game 7 performance against last year's MVP Joel Embiid, James Harden, Tyrese Maxey, and the Sixers to propel Boston to victory after being down 3-2 in the series on the verge of defeat.
Tatum has the commercials, and game while being in one of the biggest markets in Boston to become the face of the league.
It all comes down to if he can win the big one, which is the championship crown as the best player on his team. This season seems to be his best chance with the best squad he's had (which is saying something) as they have the best record in the NBA.
3. Luka Doncic, Guard, Dallas Mavericks
The league's leading scorer (34.1) and the engine behind the Maverick's dynamic offense is "Luka Legend." Doncic is having, statistically, arguably the greatest year of his career. Since coming into the NBA in 2018 as a teenage prodigy out of Slovenia, Doncic has been nothing short of dominant, making four consecutive All-NBA First Team Selections. And he's only just turned 25!
Doncic has the game and numbers but it takes more than that to become the face of the NBA. Can he win? While his numbers are more gaudy than those of a Tatum, Doncic lacks comparable experience when it comes to team success, having just made the Conference Finals once in 2022, losing to the eventual champion Golden State Warriors in five games that season.
Doncic needs to prove he can help lead his team to deep playoff success and continue improving defensively as a player to help his team win and reach that next level. He's one of the greatest playoff performers we've ever seen who's never afraid of the moment and shines the brightest in the biggest games, a la Larry Bird. The guy even dropped a ridiculous career-high 73-point masterclass on the Hawks in January.
Doncic was at one point the clear cut answer to become the next face of the league a few years ago, but not having won an MVP or a championship has halted that. Let's see if he can change the narrative as he is truly a one-of-a kind talent. "All Hail Luka Legend!"
2. Anthony Edwards, Guard, Minnesota Timberwolves
The "Beta" who became the "Alpha" is the Minnesota Timberwolve's electrifying, magnetic, and charistmatic 22-year-old superstar guard Anthony Edwards!
Why is "Ant-Man" a favorite to become the "Face Of The NBA"? Well... Just look at some of these jaw-dropping plays that'll leave you wondering if he's from planet earth with nuclear rocket level athleticism.
Have mercy on John Collins and Aaron Nesmith's souls after Edwards baptized Collins in church with that merciless soulless dunk and evaporated Nesmith's confidence to ever attack him like that again with a game-winning block.
Edwards has continually improved as a passer, defender, and more efficient scorer. Edwards is having the best year of his young career as he has seamlessly taken that major leap into superstardom.
The young alpha is averaging career highs in points (26.4), assists (5.2), field goal percentage (46), and 37% from three.
Edwards is also having career-highs in advanced metrics, contributing +6.6 wins to the Timberwolves and a usage rate of 32.5%. With his audacious aerial exploits, personality, and fanfare, Edwards is a fan favorite who can do it on both ends of the floor and will be exciting to watch over the next decade-plus.
1. Victor Wembanyama, Center, San Antonio Spurs
Perhaps the best rookie of this century, which is saying something considering the hype he received before his arrival to the NBA, and a century that has seen the likes of LeBron James is Spurs young star Victor Wembanyama.
Wembanyama has somehow even exceeded all of the lofty expectations many pundits had for him in his rookie season as he leads all rookies in points (20.7), rebounds (10.4), steals (1.3), and the entire league in blocks (3.4) as a rookie!
He has been so good defensively that he currently is second in odds to take home Defensive Player of the Year behind Minnesota Timberwolves defensive anchor and three-time winner at that, Rudy Gobert, who's favored at -649.
Wembanyama leaves us rethinking our brains about what is possible on the basketball court with his freakish size at 7-foot-4 and length (8-foot wingspan) to go along with his guard-like skillset.
It's not only Wembanyama's size and skill that make about him an enticing option to become the clear-cut face of the league, but also his ultra-competitive nature, as he's a killer who wants to win at all costs.
The passion and genuine love for the game is there, his speech after a great performance against the Oklahoma City Thunder in a 132-118 victory over MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and another 7-foot unicorn in Chet Holmgren, in which he recorded 28-13-7 along with two steals and five blocks.
It's one thing to be a great basketball player; there are plenty of them, but to be the face of a brand in the NBA, you need to be able to resonate with the fans and the public and Wembanyama has that in his bag of tricks as well.
Wembanyama has written himself into the NBA record books this season by accomplishing the following:
- Youngest player to record a 5x5 game (points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks)
- Became the first rookie in NBA history to have back-to-back games of at least 25 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, and five blocks.
-Joined fellow Spurs legends Tim Duncan and David Robinson as the only rookies in NBA history to put up at least 30 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, and five blocks in a game
- 1 of 2 players in NBA history to record 200+ blocks and 100+ three-pointers in a season (Raef LaFrentz)
- First rookie since Tim Duncan to record 200+ blocks
The list could go on but that's just a few of his otherworldly achievements at just 20 years old. Wembanyama is also fearless going against the league's best, whether it was blocking Giannis Antetokounmpo coming at him with a full head of steam in their matchup in January.
Or what about his classic performance against the Los Angeles Lakers in February, right after the All-Star break against superstars Anthony Davis and LeBron James, where he stole the show, recording a whopping 27 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists, five steals, and five blocks!
With Wembanyama's combination of size, skill, ability to connect with fans as a media darling (his dunk against the Celtics from the foul line was the most viewed across NBA social media platforms ever), and killer mindset to go along with the hype entering the league like one LeBron had strengthens his case as "The Next Face of the NBA."
Conclusion
Adam Silver and NBA fans can't help but to be grateful for the influx of a great new generation of stars leading the way currently in the league and that are on the way in the next few years. With longtime luminaries who carried the league the last 10-15 years, such as LeBron James (39), Stephen Curry (36), and Kevin Durant (35) on their way out the next few seasons, it's time for the next generation to take the mantle from their predecessors and take the game to another level.
That's the beauty of sports and time; all good things must come to an end at some point, whether that's a career, a movie, etc. But as one good thing comes to an end, there's always more great things brewing on the way. The future is now.