Why is Shai being overlooked as the "face of the league"

[NyKnicks1714]

The NBA doesn't decide who the face of the league is. Yes their marketing and the games they show are a factor, but in the end it comes to what about the player's game and personality appeals to the fans. It's not really an active decision by the fans either, so there's no "overlooking". Someone either has that level of appeal or they don't.

It also has nothing to do with being American or not. Jokic and Luka don't have the charisma. Jokic is funny in the small doses you get him in, but he keeps to himself. It's going to be Edwards when LeBron and Curry are gone: his game is exciting, he's charismatic, and he's a little polarizing. He's going to have a lot of fans and a decent faction of haters.

[ATLTimekeeper]

I mean, it basically is. It's part of a continuous urban area that stretches out from Toronto. If Toronto was a US city, Hamilton would be part of the GTA (their CMA boundary usually extends 2-3 times further than ours). It's why Chicago has 9 million people and Toronto has 6 million. Chicago's CMA boundary is 3 times larger. If you extend Toronto's boundary to the same size, the population also goes up to 9 million. Off-topic, I know. I just find this stuff interesting.

I mean, would you consider Newark a part of Manhatten? Hamilton is its own city with an industrial history that is nearly as old as Toronto.

Newark is literally part of the New York metropolitan area though lol. The only reason Hamilton isn't officially part of the GTA is that we use tighter metropolitan area borders than the US.

You're using a technical definition. Do people from Newark say they're from New York? Maybe. No one from Hamilton says they're from Toronto or the GTA. Sprawl doesn't make it a suburb.

[The Servant]

Complicated and hyphenated last name. Even fans don't know how to spell it.

Drop the Gilgeous and he's Hollywood.

This is honestly it. I'd drop the Gilgeous because hyphenated last names are dumb, and if he has a kid one of the two names is getting dropped in the new one and we know it's gonna be Gilgeous.

Just change it.

[ORLMagicGirl15]

I’m seeing that people here are saying Americans don’t want non-American as the face of the NBA, but it is also more nuanced then that. Americans like someone with personality and charisma. Americans understand that and can play it up. Most non-Americans are way subdued in their personality and sometimes it’s hard to relate to them and isn’t the most marketable to the American NBA customer. Americans love showboating as long as you’re winning. They will love you and hate you and that’s when you know you got ‘em.

As for me, if you’re not on my favorite team, I don’t pay attention to you. I don’t care about your personality.

[BodieB]

Unexciting game
Canadian
Name
Unconventional face
Cool demeanor

Not that I think any of those factors should hold him back, but they still hold him back nonetheless.

[kwajo]

Complicated and hyphenated last name. Even fans don't know how to spell it.

Drop the Gilgeous and he's Hollywood.

This is honestly it. I'd drop the Gilgeous because hyphenated last names are dumb, and if he has a kid one of the two names is getting dropped in the new one and we know it's gonna be Gilgeous.

Just change it.

Hey now, I was born with a hyphenated last name and it's great. Don't knock it 'til you try it.

[hardenASG13]

Complicated and hyphenated last name. Even fans don't know how to spell it.

Drop the Gilgeous and he's Hollywood.

This is honestly it. I'd drop the Gilgeous because hyphenated last names are dumb, and if he has a kid one of the two names is getting dropped in the new one and we know it's gonna be Gilgeous.

Just change it.

Hey now, I was born with a hyphenated last name and it's great. Don't knock it 'til you try it.

Really suggesting he drops part of his last name? If he has a kid why would the kids last name not be the same as his? Anyone who follows basketball close enough to have a favorite player knows who SGA is. His name isn't a problem. Like others said, the "face of the league" isn't an official title thats given. It just happens. If he wins enough he'll become it, though I think it's pretty clearly going to be Wemby, because hes the best prospect and most unique player I've ever seen come into the league, outside of maybe LeBron.

[bisme37]

SGA made $25M in endorsements this year. Tatum and Ant $20M, Luka $15M, Jokic $6M.

Seems like his face is out there quite a bit.

https://www.forbes.com/lists/athletes/

[TheGeneral99]

At the end of the day winning counts and winning multiple titles is what really propels you.

I think Giannis was on the verge of being the true face of the league after winning in 2021 but the Bucks have not done anything relevant since that they won.

Jokic has also been on the verge as the undisputed best player and winning in 2023, but with two 2nd round losses in a row, he just hasn't taken the mantle yet.

I'm speaking in terms of being "face in the league", as I think most will agree Jokic is the best player.

[Godymas]

Not saying you're wrong but a someone who grew up and lives in Hamilton, calling it a suburban of Toronto is hilarious.

I mean, it basically is. It's part of a continuous urban area that stretches out from Toronto. If Toronto was a US city, Hamilton would be part of the GTA (their CMA boundary usually extends 2-3 times further than ours). It's why Chicago has 9 million people and Toronto has 6 million. Chicago's CMA boundary is 3 times larger. If you extend Toronto's boundary to the same size, the population also goes up to 9 million. Off-topic, I know. I just find this stuff interesting.

I mean, would you consider Newark a part of Manhatten? Hamilton is its own city with an industrial history that is nearly as old as Toronto.

NYC is not just Manhattan. You can drive from top of NYC in the Bronx to the base of NYC in Staten Island for the same distance as Hamilton to Toronto.

Also Newark is part of the greater NY area.

[homecourtloss]

Complicated and hyphenated last name. Even fans don't know how to spell it.

Drop the Gilgeous and he's Hollywood.

This is actually a huge thing with his name. It shouldn't be but it is.

[Black Jack]

Complicated and hyphenated last name. Even fans don't know how to spell it.

Drop the Gilgeous and he's Hollywood.

This is honestly it. I'd drop the Gilgeous because hyphenated last names are dumb, and if he has a kid one of the two names is getting dropped in the new one and we know it's gonna be Gilgeous.

Just change it.

He should just use Shai

Gilgeous is actually good. start calling himself "Georgeous Gilgeous" and be a heel.

if you want to be famous you have to give some crazy quotes, do something controversial.

[OkcSinceSGA]

He has a pretty boring, fundamental game if you are just looking for highlights. Stylistically, he basically plays like Jordan or Kobe, but without all of the dunks. So unless you get really excited about mid range, pull-ups and footwork in the post, it’s just not very highlight reel friendly.

Ant gets marketed because he’s American and he’s the biggest flashy play guy in the entire league right now with Ja’s drop off.

[funkatron101]

His name is a mouthful.

An absurd reason, I know, but I honestly think that is a part of it.

[DusterBuster]

He's kind of boring tbh.

Crazy talented, but not much personality, no real signature moves of which to speak... just kinda bland. Hard to be the face of the league if you don't have standout moments. Same kind of with Tatum.

It never works out when the NBA tries to force a "face" of the league on fans. Just because you're the best player on the best team doesn't make you the face of the NBA.

[DusterBuster]

He has a pretty boring, fundamental game if you are just looking for highlights. Stylistically, he basically plays like Jordan or Kobe, but without all of the dunks. So unless you get really excited about mid range, pull-ups and footwork in the post, it’s just not very highlight reel friendly.

Ant gets marketed because he’s American and he’s the biggest flashy play guy in the entire league right now with Ja’s drop off.

Bingo. Ant also has an attitude - which like or hate - gets peoples attention. SGA just kinda is there.

[Beethoven]

Well, one thing, the dude has a weird-looking face.
Also, he always puckers his lips and makes them off-center on his face whenever he knows he's about to have his photo taken, like what social media girls do when doing a selfie. (other than his stock team photo)

[Doctor MJ]

LeBron and Curry have gotten old, and Jokic is a foreigner who avoids the limelight and is on the wrong side of 30, so it makes sense that the league doesn't want to market him as the face. But why is Shai being overlooked for Ant? Is it simply because he's not American? You would think that the guy who's about to be MVP, finished 2nd last year, and potentially a champion would be more heavily marketed. If corny Canadian Drake could be the face of mainstream hip hop for the better part of a decade, why can't Shai be the new face of the league?

So first, the "face of the league" thing is getting overblown. While there's always a bigger mainstream star, it's not like the NBA itself has some explicitly given title they reserve for one guy. And while everyone knows that, what it also means is that things are going evolve more organically than people are talking.

Now with all that said, key things pertaining to Shai:

1. He got off to a relatively slow start in his NBA career. People are always looking to jump on bandwagons for that new rookie who is going to be an MVP, and in the 2018 draft class not only was Luka the main guy people embraced early on, Trae was the 2nd guy. Shai's delayed start doesn't just mean a delay, it means that everyone who has already embraced other young guys now has an active resistance to Shai.

2. While people are wrong to say Shai doesn't have an aesthetically pleasing game - he's got way more in common with Jordan than people seem to realize - he ain't Steph. When Steph broke through he immediately became the hero of little kids everywhere as they proceeded to devote themselves to jacking from long distance like Steph. Steph changed the game in a way that Shai just can't, regardless of who the better player is.

3. The modern basketball fan community likes schoolyard bully kinds of guys who like to taunt others. Shai isn't that guy. He's too shy, and frankly too mature, to resonate with the fans.

Finally, on Drake, I think we can't talk about Drake without talking about about Kendrick used Drake to score an infinite amount of points. While the mainstream supported Drake as a pop star, I think it's clear that the hardcore rap community never saw him as their face. It's a bit different for Shai in basketball because American mainstream stardom is tied to the hardcore 'hooper' community.

To me the ongoing question is about the global stardom of guys like Jokic & Shai. I think non-Americans are eager to embrace non-American stars in ways Americans aren't...but the non-American basketball community also idolizes Michael Jordan, who essentially created the modern schoolyard bully archetype.

[Jasen777]

Too much team parity for a traditional face of the league. We might not get another dynasty like Curry's Warriors any time soon. LeBron ruled the East for a decade. Shaq/Kobe had a 3 peat, Jordan had 2 of them. Bird or Magic won 8 of 9. We're going to have the 7th straight different champ.

[Chanel Bomber]

LeBron and Curry have gotten old, and Jokic is a foreigner who avoids the limelight and is on the wrong side of 30, so it makes sense that the league doesn't want to market him as the face. But why is Shai being overlooked for Ant? Is it simply because he's not American? You would think that the guy who's about to be MVP, finished 2nd last year, and potentially a champion would be more heavily marketed. If corny Canadian Drake could be the face of mainstream hip hop for the better part of a decade, why can't Shai be the new face of the league?

The answer is in your question.