LeBron James has been the face of the NBA for the entirety of his 22-year run in the league. However, by now fans should usually start to gravitate towards other younger and more athletic players. It would have been the natural progression as the Los Angeles Lakers superstar nears retirement.
His ability to pull audiences was never in question as the attendance of Lakers games both home and away have shown time and again. The dependence on him was such that the league still schedules prime time games.
The league has been on the hunt for his eventual replacement. Names such as Anthony Edwards and Ja Morant come up as they have the personalities to go with their unreal skills as basketball players. However, the latest numbers from the NBA’s PR team still shows the near 40-year-old still rules.
They released a list with the top 10 most viewed players across all NBA social media avenues. Unsurprisingly, LeBron James leads the charts with 623 million. However, what surprises is that he garners almost a 100 million more than the next player on the list in Ja Morant.
It could justify why the NBA scheduled James and Steph Curry as part of the NBA Christmas Day games. His Los Angeles Lakers taking on the Golden State Warriors is the highlight of the day, making it obvious that the league wants to capitalize on the interest the two will draw.
The most-viewed NBA players this season
(Via @NBAPR ) pic.twitter.com/KTzwe2cqps
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) December 23, 2024
But it also adds to the worry that the NBA is taking far too long to find his replacement. He might want to retire after this season or next, after which the league won’t be able to garner such numbers unless his replacement can do so.
NBA yet to find LeBron James’ replacement
All of last season, the talk that took precedence was who the next Face of the NBA was going to be. With performances playing a strong role to determine that, Edwards was seen as the clear favorite. His Minnesota Timberwolves were battling for the top seed in the West with him leading the way.
It helped his case that Morant was out first due to character damaging suspension and then a season ending injury. The Grizzlies superstar also was made aware that the league was promoting Anthony Edwards as the face of the league with him away from the game.
This season though, the situation so far made it difficult for the league. Edwards and his Timberwolves are a shell of their previous self, which evidently shows on his fan engagement. According to the above list, he is nowhere to be found.
On the other hand, Morant has taken over as the second most popular player. With Victor Wembanyama a close third, the NBA has a headache on its hands. The French phenom is not flamboyant enough and Ja Morant‘s character still needs work. It seems LeBron James might have to continue for at least a year.
Stay Updated!
Join our newsletter to receive exclusive updates and curated insights directly to your inbox.
