There's been discourse about who the face of the NBA is right now, with LeBron James inching closer and closer to retirement. Many have slated Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards as the next in line. However, Charles Barkley thinks otherwise after he sent ESPN a savage message about who the program should be promoting instead.

During the pregame show for the New York Knicks-Indiana Pacers Game 4 matchup on Tuesday, Barkley went out of his way to inform ESPN not to name Anthony Edwards the face of the NBA. The Hall of Famer explains that the face of the league takes that title and that it cannot be given to them. Barkley ends his statement, claiming that Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is “taking it.”

“Hey, ESPN, I love you guys. Don't try to make Anthony Edwards the face of the NBA. The face of the NBA is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, [Nikola Jokic], and Giannis. You can't give it to people, they have to take it, and [SGA] is taking it.”

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The Timberwolves are down 3-1 in the series to the Thunder after suffering a 128-126 Game 4 loss. Anthony Edwards played okay, but it certainly wasn't up to superstar standards. Especially if he's being viewed as the face of the NBA. The 23-year-old guard ended Game 4 with 16 points, four rebounds, and six assists while shooting 38.5% from the field and 14.2% from beyond the arc.

Edwards put up just 13 shots in Game 4, which ESPN's Stephen A. Smith believes is simply not enough from the Timberwolves star. The playoffs are the time for the best players in the league to step up, and there have been times when Edwards just doesn't perform to the standards fans and talking heads place upon players in the league.

The Timberwolves are a loss away from elimination, which would be the team's fourth consecutive early exit from the postseason in the same number of years. Anthony Edwards will have another chance to prove Charles Barkley and the other critics wrong on Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. EST when they face off against the Thunder in Oklahoma City.