Which means these numbers are a bit misleading.
Unfortunately, this is the set of numbers we’re working with.
If it is a problem, the NBA created it themselves.
They had it so easy for so long with three American-born superstars at the top of their game.
Why bother marketing anyone else when LeBron James moves the needle just fine on his own?
But in an ideal world, the face of the league shouldn’t be something that’s appointed.
It should be something that happens organically.
Both players who aren’t necessarily making an effort to be the NBA’s next great role-models.
Then you have Jayson Tatum.
On paper, Tatum should be the perfect “face of the league”.
It’s not that he isn’t likable.
It’s not that he’s hatable.
He’s just right down the middle.
He suffers from the most imbalanced talent-to-star power ratio in the NBA.
Maybe it’s just that he has too good of a team around him.
A perfectly well-rounded basketball team.
But a team like that doesn’t always lend itself to creating a face-of-the-league-throw in superstar.
Yet I’m not convinced how much American born players even matter.
I don’t think about about Luka Doncic’s nationality when watching him play for the Lakers.
Maybe a little bit when watching interviews.
But if Jokic wanted to, he could have NBA fans eating out the palm of his enormous hand.
He simply doesn’t love basketball the way other’s do.
That’s not a nationality thing.
That’s just a personal preference for horses.
For the record, here were last year’s numbers.
Or are at least doing WAY more posting.
Or is at least not growing at the rate they would like.
Or as long as humanly possible.
Most players will retire once they’re no longer able to perform at a certain level.
If he really wants to go down as the “G.O.A.T.
“, that’s the route he should take.
That’s not even a knock on Michael Jordan.
It’s just a knock on that specific layup.
Michael Jordan has a whole catalog of more impressive layups than that one.
Why did we land on THAT as the layup that will go down in history forever.
Is it just because it was in the Finals?
Because Magic Johnson is standing off to the side haphazardly waving an arm 90’s defense style?
I suppose that’s it.
That’s all I got.
I apologize, I didn’t plan on rambling for 1000+ words on the face of the NBA.
I thought I’d post a couple graphics, maybe a few highlights, then get out of here.
But sometimes you gotta put thesportsback in Barstool Sports.
