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Par Pierre-Andréa Fraile | Journaliste sportif
While fans still struggle to agree on the identity of the future champion team, the next figurehead of the NBA is also up for debate. For Charles Barkley, a star is well on the way to stepping into that role very soon.
The more the weeks go by, the more the purely sporting news offered by the NBA shrinks. And what could be more logical, given that the number of series played simultaneously is also reduced as the playoffs progress. The American media are used to this, but they always have more than one trick up their sleeves and more than one side story to crack. Among them, the future face of the league, which is so divisive.
Charles Barkley elects the future face of the NBA
As a long-time TNT consultant, Charles Barkley was no stranger to this discussion about the NBA’s next headliner. A discussion which had already prompted him to take issue with his ESPN counterparts a few months ago. It’s clear that his opinion on this point has not changed, as he has delivered a similar speech in recent hours in Inside the NBA:
Charles Barkley: Hey, ESPN, I love you guys, but don’t try to make Anthony Edwards the face of the league. That label belongs to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Anyway, you can’t give it to someone, someone has to go and get it themselves. And that’s what Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is doing.
Dithyrambic and very optimistic about the Thunder, Barkley is also impressed by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s performances. It’s worth noting that these have already helped the Canadian guard win the MVP award this season. And according to Chuck, the next logical step would be for him to become the face of the league, rather than Anthony Edwards, who has been “tapped” by ESPN.
Sir Charles can take comfort in the fact that Kendrick Perkins simultaneously went along with him and plummeted Edwards’ candidacy on the rival channel:
Kendrick Perkins: You have to meet certain criteria to be the face of the league. Sure, you have to have your signature shoe, appear in commercials, make highlights and have an attractive game. But you know what else it takes? Being a role model.
When you look at Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Shaq, LeBron and Steph, what did they all have in common during their time in the league? They all had families. They were all married, with kids. And if you think that doesn’t matter in this debate, you’re wrong. These are just the facts I’m giving you.
