Over the last handful of years, we\u2019ve seen the league embark on a quest to identify their next brand, from a player\u2019s perspective. Or face of the league, although emblem is probably an easier way to coin it.<\/p>\n
LeBron James has been the face of the league for 23 years, and still is, even at age 41-years-old. His time is dwindling. Father Time knows no losses, although James has come the closest to defeating it.<\/p>\n
There are several other options, but it all boils down to marketability, which isn\u2019t just limited to on-court success. If that were the case, it would be easy to identify the next icon.<\/p>\n
Off-the-court behavior also plays a very large part in the marketability, which is not just limited to being a law-abiding citizen. Which is part of what\u2019s made James so unique and easy to market and brand.<\/p>\n
That facet has also ruled out many players from receiving the passing of the torch from James. Stephen Curry would be perfect for the league\u2019s next main advertising draw, if not for the fact that he and James encompass the same era. Same for Houston Rockets superstar Kevin Durant.<\/p>\n
If only those two had entered the NBA a decade ago. Anthony Edwards has stated that he doesn\u2019t want to wear the crown and it\u2019s probably for the better, as he\u2019d fall in the off-court bucket.<\/p>\n
Nikola Jokic would be a great choice, but he\u2019s not necessarily a marketable personality and he hasn\u2019t expressed interest in taking on the honors either. Rockets forward Jeff Green, who has been around the league for the better part of two decades, has a rather simplistic and fair approach as it pertains to identifying the league\u2019s next emblem.<\/p>\n