The All-Star game reminds us of the caliber of players that are in the league, but All-Star veterans like Kevin Durant, LeBron James and Steph Curry aren’t getting any younger.
So, who will become the face of the league once those players retire?
“I think each era has five, six, seven guys that can help carry the game forward,” said Durant in response to a question by Tim Bontemps at a media session during All-Star weekend. “It’s more than just Steph, LeBron, and myself it’s James Harden, it’s Russell Westbrook, it’s Kawhi Leonard… a lot of these guys will inspire the next generation of hoopers to want to be professionals. It’s more than just a few guys. I look around the league and I see Shai, Ant, Book, Luka, Tyrese Maxey, Tyrese Haliburton, it’s so many guys that are inspiring the next generation of hoopers after them to become basketball players.”
LeBron, Steph and KD are on the same All-Star team for the first time in NBA history for the 2024 All-Star game, and although everyone knows they are the face of the league, James doesn’t see it like that.
“The league’s given me so much,” James told The Washington Post. “I just try to set an example for the next generation. I never got into, like, ‘Oh, I’m the face of the NBA.’ I never, ever even said that. I’ve always just understood it as a responsibility with being a professional. And I’ve always wanted to be that and always have done that.”
Even though LeBron is 39 years old and Curry and Durant are both 35, they don’t want to be discounted just yet.
“I was just trying to get to 10 years in the league, and that was my goal. But then once you get to nine, eight, you’re like: ‘I feel great right now. I can keep going,’ ” Durant says, adding that he, James and Curry could play into their 40s.
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