Giannis Antetokounmpo says LeBron James, not him, is the face of the NBA.
As a 6x All-Star, 2x MVP, 6x All-NBA player, and 1x Champion, Giannis Antetokounmpo is clearly one of the top players in basketball. This season, after pouring in an MVP-worthy campaign last year, Giannis is averaging 31.8 points, 12.2 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game on 54.2% shooting.
Even the most casual fans can tell this guy will be running the NBA for a while. But when asked by reporters to name the face of the league, Giannis did not seize the opportunity to shower himself with praise.
Instead, he gave the mantle to LeBron James, showing the OG some respect by declaring he still has the title as the face of the league, while also giving a shoutout to other big-name stars.
“Definitely (I feel) like one of the faces of the league,” Giannis said on Serge Ibaka’s How Hungry Are You? podcast. "But no, LeBron is still playing... Steph just won a championship, KD’s still cooking, Embiid’s killing, Jokic back-to-back MVP, Luka Magic — a lot of people out there.”
Giannis has always been a humble character, but modesty doesn't always equal honesty. This year, more so than last, LeBron doesn't look like the face of the NBA -- at least, not anymore.
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Besides being uncharacteristically injury-prone over the last few years, James hasn't had the same level of impact on games as he used to. The power and control he once had on the court have died down a lot, at least early on. That fact has been reflected by the Lakers' 3-10 record.
James could eventually find his rhythm, especially later on in the season, but will the Lakers be in a position to compete by then?
At this point, who knows -- but with how bad LeBron is struggling right now, Giannis is one of the only ones who still see him as the face of a league that is quickly being taken over by a new generation of superstars.
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