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LeBron James remains the biggest name in the NBA, but for Stephen A. Smith, he is no longer the face of the league. The veteran sports commentator is giving that honor to Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry, who impressed everyone with his performance during the All-Star Game.
Smith dropped his latest take on ESPN's First Take, arguing that Curry is now the face of the NBA by default because he is winning and inspiring at the same time. While he is not taking away anything from the Los Angeles Lakers forward, who he acknowledged for his off-court efforts, Stephen A. sees the Warriors guard as way ahead of LeBron this 2021-22.
“I believe it’s Steph Curry by default,” Smith said, via NBC Sports. “He’s winning and LeBron’s not, that’s really what that comes down to for me. If you want to modify to some degree, LeBron is a face of what he does off the court. To me, I’m speaking specifically of on the court. Steph Curry is just as box office. You walk through the turnstiles to see the show that this brother puts on.”
Stephen A. Smith also highlighted how Stephen Curry's playing style and personality make him a great ambassador for the NBA. While LeBron James continues to turn heads and draw massive attention with his dominant game, Curry's is different since he helps the younger generation believe they can make it to the league despite not having the insane height and athleticism like LeBron—or a lot of other players for that matter.
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“Steph Curry is winning, and I think that puts him in that place and I think when you consider the fact that he’s 6-foot-3 and you look at what he does and you see kids going to the park, they know you can’t be LeBron, 6-feet-9, 260 locomotives coming at you, extraordinary athleticism, strength, and everything else that comes with it,” Smith furthered on the Warriors star.
“With Steph Curry, you look at him and you say ‘Man I get on the court, I can shoot jump shots, I can be that’ and I think that has a lot to do with elevating his popularity, along with the fact that he’s incredibly likable he’s class personified, he can shoot from the parking lot, he’s the greatest shooter in the history of basketball, and his team is winning. So at this particular time, that makes him more of a face. It’s hard to say anybody is more of a face of the NBA than LeBron James considering LeBron James’ overall resume. But at this particular moment, to me, it’s Steph Curry.”
Smith certainly makes a good point when it comes to Curry. He definitely commands as much attention as LeBron, and there isn't a lot of drama surrounding him. He has stayed loyal to the franchise that drafted him and set up his roots in San Francisco. Surely, it's hard to find anyone more fitting to represent the game today.
However, there is no doubt that LeBron remains the most popular player in the NBA. While it is easy to see he's no longer the best player in the league, the fact that he's the All-Star captain and people continue to buy his jersey and vote for him is proof that is still the case.
But certainly, it is great for the NBA to have a player like Curry, who could well be considered LeBron's co-torch bearer as NBA ambassadors. Besides, it's not like they are competing for it as it is clear they have mutual respect and admiration for each other.
