LeBron James didn’t ask to be the face of the NBA, now he’s calling for change

Melissa Rohlin

FOX Sports NBA Writer

LeBron James is over the negativity. 

In light of Anthony Edwards saying during All-Star weekend that he doesn’t want to be the next face of the league, this reporter asked James on Thursday if that role was something James even wanted – or whether it was just bestowed upon him. 

James made it clear that the ceremonial position is no longer as alluring as it once was, an alarming fact considering the level of sacrifice it takes to achieve, including cultivating a flawless image, immense self-discipline to avoid controversy and, oh, just being the best player in the world.

“Channing Frye said it … why do you want to be the face of a league when all the people that cover our game and talk about our game on a day-to-day basis s–t on everybody?” James said. “When you have that responsibility, that’s just weird.”

James is used to being scrutinized. He was labeled “The Chosen One” by Sports Illustrated when he was 17 years old. From then on, he was criticized for nearly every pass and shot he took. Ahead of James breaking the all-time scoring record in 2023, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich was asked for his favorite James memory. Instead of talking about a game-winning play, a thunderous dunk or a fadeaway jumper over three defenders, Popovich mentioned James’ composure despite pundits’ criticism.

“They would just deal with the negative,” Popovich said. “And it was sort of a fake negative in a way. The guy was doing everything great.”

Well, in James’ eyes, things have worsened over the years, now reaching a breaking point. 

Many NBA players — including James and Kevin Durant — believe that the discourse around the game has plummeted. Instead of the incredible talent of Steph Curry being celebrated, or the fact that James, at age 40, is playing as though he were two decades younger being praised or Durant’s skills being heralded, people just want to focus on the negative. 

There are too many 3s. The game is boring. Current players have ruined the sport. Versions of these statements are regularly said on national broadcasts. 

Some NBA players found it particularly egregious when former NHL defenseman P.K. Subban recently went on ESPN’s “First Take” and ripped the NBA, including taking a shot at James for missing his first All-Star Game two weeks ago (breaking a streak of 20 straight appearances) because of foot and ankle soreness. Subban said “you don’t get my respect” if you don’t play banged up.

To put things in perspective, James isn’t one to take games off. He has played in 301 of 335 possible back-to-backs over his career, including all seven this season, according to ESPN.

Regardless of whether his points were fair, it’s weird that a former hockey player was given airtime to criticize one of the greatest basketball players of all-time. Sure, the NHL is coming off of a successful 4 Nations Face-Off tournament, while the NBA has struggled to make their signature weekend engaging. But would James ever go on ESPN to rip the NHL? No chance. 

Somehow, ripping the NBA has become a sport that’s seemingly more celebrated than the game within the four lines. 

Criticism is fair. Players know that. 

But there’s a strong belief within NBA circles that the dip in NBA TV viewership has nothing to do with a decline in talent, but, rather, it stems from the self-sabotaging dialogue around the sport. Sure, drama gets views. However, there’s a thin line between manufacturing intrigue and telling fans that the product they’re watching isn’t worth their time. 

ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith felt as though James’ comments were directed towards him, and he defended himself Friday. Smith believes that NBA players can’t handle any criticism.

He went on to point out what he perceived as James’ missteps throughout the years, including calling James announcing his decision to take his talents to Miami in an over-the-top TV special,”self-aggrandizement at its height.” 

Smith also blamed James for fueling Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert to rally NBA owners to get former NBA commissioner David Stern to nix a trade that would’ve sent Chris Paul to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2011. Smith said Gilbert was “salty about how LeBron James handled it and how stars were getting out of control.”

But let’s be real: if James’ biggest hiccup over the last two decades was a flashy TV special, he’s doing pretty dang well considering the intense microscope he has been under. So, why is his name still dragged through the mud every day on TV? 

James isn’t the only recipient of criticism that players deem unfair. 

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Smith and Charles Barkley have both laid into Durant for his leadership skills. But those who know him best believe that’s bogus. When asked about that narrative, Anthony Edwards told FOX Sports, “I think it’s bulls–t.” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue agreed, telling FOX Sports, “How can you question his leadership? He plays every night. He wants to play 42, 43 minutes a night. And he’s a winner. You can’t question that.”

Meanwhile, Durant told FOX Sports in April 2023 that he believes he’s constantly disparaged because he doesn’t give pundits any real fodder. “You can’t clearly see the flaws in my game,” Durant said. “Or in my personality, off-the-court stuff, I don’t have any major blemishes. So, you’ve got to find something.”

As for James, he’s sick of it all. 

In fact, he took to X on Friday to say he’s happy that this conversation is in the news. 

“It ain’t about “face of the game” and it ain’t about one person or one show, it’s about the culture of basketball, the most beautiful game in the world,” James wrote. “Our game has never been better. Incredible young stars from all over the world and some older ones.

“Steph Curry should be all we are talking about today. Let’s discuss how great OKC and The Cavs have been this season with 2 completely different styles and break down why and how they have. Of course, if players don’t perform we need to discuss that too and break that down.”

James isn’t just screaming into the void. 

He tried to do something to change the narrative around the game by launching the “Mind the Game” podcast alongside now Lakers coach JJ Redick. His goal was to honor and dissect the game in a more thoughtful way than he felt like it was being discussed. 

The podcast was canceled when Redick got the Lakers gig last summer. But James would like to see the game looked at through that prism more often. 

Really, the NBA is thriving by the metric that what counts most. Let’s not forget that Disney, Comcast and Amazon recently agreed to an 11-year TV rights deal that will net the league roughly $76 billion, setting an NBA record for both length and total value of a contract. 

And James is right, there’s so much to be in awe of right now. 

James is playing at an unprecedented level for someone in his 22nd season, shattering every record in the books. Curry, who is widely considered the greatest shooter of all-time, is coming off of a 56-point performance against Orlando on Thursday. And Durant recently defied logic by showing that a player could actually play better after suffering a torn Achilles’ in 2019.

James is likely a season or two away from retiring. Curry and Durant, who are both 36, aren’t far behind him. 

Why aren’t we enjoying three of the best players of all-time while they’re around? 

Not to mention, there are 10 teams in the Western Conference with a record of .500 or better. The Warriors, who won four championships in eight years, are looking like they could be contenders again. The Lakers have won 16 of their last 20 games. The Cavaliers and Thunder are having historical seasons. And during Super Bowl week, the biggest story line in sports was Luka Doncic getting traded to the Lakers. 

There’s a lot to be excited about. 

And the future of the league looks promising, with young superstars Edwards, Victor Wembanyama and Doncic all trying to win their first championships and put their names in the history books. 

This much is for sure: It’s not good if any one of those guys decides they don’t want to fill James’ shoes as the next face of the league. 

Something needs to change. But as things stand right now, James understands why Edwards wants to excuse himself from that race. 

“I feel Ant,” James said. “I understand, I completely understand. This is weird energy when it comes to that.”

When James was asked if he wanted to be the face of the league, he said, “I didn’t ask for it.” But he acknowledged that when it happened, he also embraced the responsiblity that came with that honor. 

“I’ve always taken that seriously and [understood] from the beginning what being a professional was all about and what being a role model is all about,” James said. “So try to hold that with the utmost respect and honor.”

James did his part.

Now it’s time for the rest of us to do ours.

We need to celebrate the talent around us before it’s too late.

If guys like Edwards want to snuff out their own light for fear of being burned, perhaps we need to take a cold, hard look at why that’s happening.

Melissa Rohlin is an NBA writer for FOX Sports. She previously covered the league for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Times, the Bay Area News Group and the San Antonio Express-News. Follow her on Twitter @melissarohlin.

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