LeBron James has doubled down on his comments about being the “face of the league”, suggesting that players don’t want to carry the responsibility and criticism that comes with it. After Anthony Edwards dismissed himself as the face of the NBA, James empathized with his sentiment.
James stated that he agrees with Edwards’ perspective, saying that no one wants to be the face of the league when they’re “s**t on by everyone”. He believes the focus should be on the culture of basketball, rather than individual players. However, some have criticized James for his remarks, with Stephen A. Smith saying he doesn’t appreciate them.
James claims it’s not about him, but rather the impact of negativity on the game and its fans. He wants to see the NBA covered differently, focusing on positive aspects of a player’s game instead of negative criticism. This stance is similar to Giannis Antetokounmpo’s comments in 2023, who also pushed back against being seen as the face of the league without a title.
James believes many players share his sentiment, but acknowledges that some may be willing to carry the burden. He suggests embracing a “c’est la vie” attitude might be the only option for those saddled with this responsibility.
Source: https://www.si.com/nba/lebron-james-doubles-down-on-face-of-the-league-comments-in-long-social-media-post