The “face of the league” debate has gone on for some time in the NBA. With the likes of LeBron James and Stephen Curry advancing in age, the next man to take up the mantle was a topic of hot debate. While the two haven’t slowed down in production, others like Anthony Edwards are starting to receive the superstar treatment.
But after Edwards rejected the proverbial crown during All-Star weekend, the floodgates opened. Since then, multiple voices have chimed in, culminating in James himself talking about it after the Los Angeles Lakers’ victory over Edwards’ Minnesota Timberwolves. His critique of sports media pundits set off a chain reaction, leading to a passionate plea from Chiney Ogwumike.
Chiney Ogwumike Sides With LeBron James, Sees Fault in ‘First Take’
Over the last few years, Ogwumike has become a consistent member of the “First Take” panel. And after Stephen A. Smith brutally rejected the premise proposed by the four-time NBA champion, she had had enough. Rather than siding with her colleague, she saw the flaws in their show’s current content structure.
“I think that we have a responsibility in this business to do two things: provide entertainment and to also provide analysis. And very few are better at the entertainment portion, especially this show, than ‘First Take.’ But the analysis, I think, is what players are looking for more. Even today, the show is a good example. How much have we talked about Steph Curry dropping 56?”
Chiney Ogwumike: "I think that we have a responsibility in this business to do two things: provide entertainment and to also provide analysis. And very few are better at the entertainment portion, especially this show than First Take. But the analysis I think is what players are… pic.twitter.com/PnfGzaOGoX
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She went a step further, calling it a “disservice to the league,” as their style minimized “all the achievements some teams have had. “The situation escalated when James sided with Edwards over his reluctance to become the face of the NBA.”
He echoed his former teammate Channing Frye’s comments from earlier in the weekend, stating, “Why do you want to be the face of the league when all the people that cover our game and talk about our game on a day-to-day basis s*** on everybody?”
However, Smith, who believed he was the exact person James was referring to, didn’t take too kindly to his criticism. Instead, he went on a five-minute rant explaining his position and taking shots at the comments made by James. But his stance on the matter was clear from the opening second.
“BS. That’s some straight BS.” Whether James or Smith are in the right, the situation the NBA is facing isn’t going away anytime soon. No player has risen up to take that face in the league mantle and it might not be long before the last crop decides to hang it up.
What happens then?
