Wemby, Luka, Ant? Examining the players primed to become the face of the NBA

"Amid a very busy year -- a stunning trade and max contract extension, playoffs in a new city and EuroBasket competition -- Luka Doncic achieved an under-the-radar accomplishment in 2025. Thanks to a host of happy Los Angeles Lakers fans celebrating their new star, Doncic had the highest-selling jersey in the NBA, breaking an 11-year run where LeBron James or Stephen Curry's jersey sales led the league. A decade removed from the start of Curry's and James' Finals clashes, the NBA is still largely defined by those living legends, now 37 and 40 years old, respectively. It's not just the jersey sales, though they ranked second and third, respectively, behind Doncic."

"James and Curry also ranked first and second in 2024-25 as the most-viewed players on the NBA's social media platforms, and they're first and second in Instagram followers. They drive more narrative conversations and TV ratings than any other stars: They were the chief protagonists and most scintillating players during Team USA's gold medal triumph at the Paris Olympics in 2024."

"The obvious question is who comes next. For decades, the NBA has been blessed with a natural passing of the baton, as the face of the league mantle shifted from Magic Johnson and Larry Bird to Michael Jordan; from Jordan to Kobe Bryant; from Bryant to James and, soon after, Curry. Yet there is no clear candidate to follow James and Curry. This isn't an unusual situation, necessarily; plenty of ostensible "next Jordans" failed to reach that level before Bryant came close. But it's a testament to how difficult it is to predict who will emerge as the next face of the NBA before it happens; there is no one set path for each face to follow, but rather"

Luka Doncic led NBA jersey sales in 2025, ending an 11-year streak held by LeBron James or Stephen Curry after a year that included a trade, a max contract extension, playoff games in a new city and EuroBasket competition. LeBron James and Stephen Curry remain dominant figures, ranking second and third in jersey sales while occupying the top two spots for most-viewed players on the NBA's social platforms and for Instagram followers. They continue to drive TV ratings and narrative conversations, notably as central figures in Team USA's gold-medal run at the 2024 Paris Olympics. No clear successor to their combined cultural influence has emerged.

Read at ESPN.com