Did we crown Ant-Man too soon?

[Nomad]

Valid question arised with Kendrick Perkins and Stephen A. Smith on ESPN. What's your take?

[ninjacookies]

CTESPN crowned him. The general pop didn't.

JDub taunting him in his own commercial was beyond diabolical in retrospect.





(full transparency: he was actually quite entertaining before he decided to live half his life beyond the arc this year)

[blackvodka]

Nobody really crowned him outside of the people that are desperate for a new face of the league.

Sent from my motorola razr 2024 using Tapatalk

[Nomad]

Breakers certainly did. I mean do.

[49ersSF]

Media wanted a Jordan so badly they tried to make Ant-Man the new Jordan.

It was obvious with his erratic games he wasn't. He's still a great player, but not a superstar.

[sethc1020]

I don't think so, at only 23 years old his trajectory is pointing in the right direction to be that guy. No other "face of the league" won a championship at 23 except for Kobe but it was still Shaqs team then. Ant taking his team to 2 straight WCF at that age is impressive, especially with the lack of depth on those teams. Would have liked to see more out of him the last 2 games but every time he touched the ball OKC swarmed him and no body else was knocking down shots. I think that most people gravitated towards him as the next big thing because his game is different. For so long the NBA has been a 3 point contest and Ant came in attacking the rim like MJ and made the game a little more exciting to watch. I feel like people are sick of watching guys just chuck 3s all game. Same reason Ja was blowing up before he decided to go thuga thuga.

[ThatGuyPal]

This doesn’t look like the name Wemby? Considering the hype and what Wemby cards go for vs me still finding Ants in the dollar bin up to recently I’d say as mentioned above media may have but the streets crowned the French Phenom

[sethc1020]

Originally Posted by ThatGuyPal

This doesn’t look like the name Wemby? Considering the hype and what Wemby cards go for vs me still finding Ants in the dollar bin up to recently I’d say as mentioned above media may have but the streets crowned the French Phenom

Wemby is just he newest next big thing, next year Wemby base will be in the dollar boxes as well and everyone will be hyping Cooper Flagg. Just how it works. Rinse and repeat but I do think Ant has lasting appeal, Wemby will stay injured and never live up to his potential IMO

[mtr]

“Hey, ESPN, I love you guys," Barkley said. "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 Antetokounmpo. You can't give it to people, they have to take it, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is taking it."

I agree with Barkley. The media has anointed Ant as the face of the league and he might get there some day but he hasn't earned it yet.

[bmf]

Face of the league is still Lebron now and Curry. After that, you have Joker, Shai, Giannis. Maybe even Luka before Edwards.

[ThatGuyPal]

Originally Posted by sethc1020

Wemby is just he newest next big thing, next year Wemby base will be in the dollar boxes as well and everyone will be hyping Cooper Flagg. Just how it works. Rinse and repeat but I do think Ant has lasting appeal, Wemby will stay injured and never live up to his potential IMO

I personally doubt that, people thought Paige Bueckers would make a big splash in the WNBA but at least in my opinion people still only care about Caitlin. There was also a draft between Wemby and Cooper and who really cares about this current class? There should be a “next big thing” right now in that case. Yes if he stays injured aka Zion people will give up but the excitement around Wemby in real life supersedes any of these other guys. Most of my friends likely won’t/don’t even know who Cooper Flagg is but all of them know Wemby just like most people even non hockey fans knew a Connor Bedard. I like Ant but him nor SGA are face of the league or more so than Wemby has potential to, I’d argue that’s more next big thing that they have made playoff runs the last year or two and each time they get put in these discussions that I personally don’t hear much in-season

[Leggo]

No, Ant is and will be one of the faces of the league. There is only ONE team that wins each year and overreactions come from the general public when young stars come up short.

He has accomplished more playoff success than almost every player by age 23 has ever had and is getting experience that most stars don't get until their mid to late 20s. Jordan went through the same thing.

The latest criticism of Ant is mainly coming from people who don't understand basketball. The thunder ran box & 1s and heavy set zones anytime Ant touched the ball. He was constantly doubled off the ball and blitzed when he touched it. The thunder basically said Ant will not beat us and if another player can make plays so be it.... And Randle absolutely could not come through. Jaden missed way too many open corner threes too...etc. There has been few times I seen one player get so much defensive attention constantly through a series than Ant did this series but people will point to stats since stats are everything to people who don't understand. While people fail to realize is how well this sets up Ant in the future to have experience this treatment as such a young age.

[Scottish Punk]

Originally Posted by sethc1020

I don't think so, at only 23 years old his trajectory is pointing in the right direction to be that guy. No other "face of the league" won a championship at 23 except for Kobe but it was still Shaqs team then. Ant taking his team to 2 straight WCF at that age is impressive, especially with the lack of depth on those teams. Would have liked to see more out of him the last 2 games but every time he touched the ball OKC swarmed him and no body else was knocking down shots. I think that most people gravitated towards him as the next big thing because his game is different. For so long the NBA has been a 3 point contest and Ant came in attacking the rim like MJ and made the game a little more exciting to watch. I feel like people are sick of watching guys just chuck 3s all game. Same reason Ja was blowing up before he decided to go thuga thuga.

Exactly, same thing was being done with Luka. If you look through the history of the NBA, most of the superstars get their first title at age 26/27. This means Luka is hitting that window now. Shai is 26, so his windows is also now. As you said Kobe was a special case with having Shaq. So Edwards still has a coupe of years before that window opens. It will be up to him to take the next step and the organization to keep building the roster out. Getting to two finals is a great sign that he will break through eventually.

[tjforce]

Originally Posted by Scottish Punk

Exactly, same thing was being done with Luka. If you look through the history of the NBA, most of the superstars get their first title at age 26/27. This means Luka is hitting that window now. Shai is 26, so his windows is also now. As you said Kobe was a special case with having Shaq. So Edwards still has a coupe of years before that window opens. It will be up to him to take the next step and the organization to keep building the roster out. Getting to two finals is a great sign that he will break through eventually.

Don't forget about Magic, and Bird, and Kahwi, and Duncan, and Wade. I guess they were all 'special cases'?

This is less directed at Ant, since he's only 23, but building a resume before 26 isn't just about championships, its about MVPs too. Luka has none. Ant has finished 7th and 8th in voting. Meanwhile, guys like LeBron, Curry, Giannis, Jokic, Durant, and SGA all at least had an MVP by 26, if not a title to go with it.

[Akphillips86]

Give it time.

The only guys that are going to get pushed will be winners/those who are in the mix for the championship every year.

Right now we are entering into the vacuum phase with LeBron and Curry past their respective primes.

It will be impossible to ignore guys if they are building a legacy whereas others keep falling short. The question is who’s going to keep emerging from the dogfight?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Scottish Punk]

Originally Posted by tjforce

Don't forget about Magic, and Bird, and Kahwi, and Duncan, and Wade. I guess they were all 'special cases'?

This is less directed at Ant, since he's only 23, but building a resume before 26 isn't just about championships, its about MVPs too. Luka has none. Ant has finished 7th and 8th in voting. Meanwhile, guys like LeBron, Curry, Giannis, Jokic, Durant, and SGA all at least had an MVP by 26, if not a title to go with it.

I should clarify, the superstars which don't get drafted into already ready to go team (or mostly ready to go). Wade would be the only on your list I would say went against that although Heat did bring in Shaq.

I was referring to players who were on franchises which really had to build the foundation and culture while that superstar was drafted.

Jordan, Lebron, Shaq, Giannis, Steph, Jokic, Tatum, Isiah. Hakeem, Pierce and Dirk were a bit older. Outside of maybe Shaq's lakers (Tatum?), all those franchises were pretty terrible before the superstar arrived.

[bmf]

https://www.instagram.com/p/DKPeycLO...F5N2x3ZXh2bg==

This is baby Jordan? This is the new face of the league?

[tjforce]

Originally Posted by Scottish Punk

I should clarify, the superstars which don't get drafted into already ready to go team (or mostly ready to go). Wade would be the only on your list I would say went against that although Heat did bring in Shaq.

I was referring to players who were on franchises which really had to build the foundation and culture while that superstar was drafted.

Jordan, Lebron, Shaq, Giannis, Steph, Jokic, Tatum, Isiah. Hakeem, Pierce and Dirk were a bit older. Outside of maybe Shaq's lakers (Tatum?), all those franchises were pretty terrible before the superstar arrived.

I think where we're heading is we are adding so many names to the list that it just proves how far Ant has to go to be "The Face of the League".

Sure he'll probably one of the top 5 faces of the league, but there's a long way to go before even considering him being the #1 guy.

[spurs50fan]

The NBA was blessed that it had easier transitions regarding "the face". This discussion is a result of it's manipulations to force the issue. That Ant/Jordan stuff didn't take off by accident. Even the OKC commercials. They are awkward bc those guys are all kinda corny but it's bc they aren't used to that exposure. And the face doesn't necessarily need to be winner takes all. Face imo is whoever can bridge that gap between talent and public interaction. For example, in the W, A'ja should be the face based off talent and accomplishments but it's Caitlin and rightly so. Just means one brings the attention to the game at a higher clip.

And why is Wemby injury prone all of a sudden? Y'all swore something would break on day 1 but it's a blood clot. He's played more games than Chet in 1 less season. With more load and responsibility but he's Mr Glass all of a sudden lmao

[Retired hobbist]

The league has been doing this for 40+years with young stars that come on to the scene. The difference is the modern hype is amped up X times the hype during the Bird and Magic era due to easier exposure of the stars of the sport.

I think you have to do something championship wise first to be crowned unless your obviously the best player in the league like prime Lebron was before he won a championship.

[kipgen]

Depends what you mean by "crown"

Based on what we've seen so far he can compete in the regular season and did well enough to reach the WCF two years in a row

However, he also had a bunch of really poor showings in these playoffs and it seems like he shrinks when the game isn't going well. The next step for him would be unlocking that next tier of production and being able to take over a game all by himself night after night. He's only 23 and multi-time all star, all-nba so he has plenty of time to find that next gear.

[cms11]

Originally Posted by sethc1020

I don't think so, at only 23 years old his trajectory is pointing in the right direction to be that guy. No other "face of the league" won a championship at 23 except for Kobe but it was still Shaqs team then. Ant taking his team to 2 straight WCF at that age is impressive, especially with the lack of depth on those teams. Would have liked to see more out of him the last 2 games but every time he touched the ball OKC swarmed him and no body else was knocking down shots. I think that most people gravitated towards him as the next big thing because his game is different. For so long the NBA has been a 3 point contest and Ant came in attacking the rim like MJ and made the game a little more exciting to watch. I feel like people are sick of watching guys just chuck 3s all game. Same reason Ja was blowing up before he decided to go thuga thuga.

Edwards takes almost as many 3's as he does 2's.

[cms11]

Originally Posted by kipgen

Depends what you mean by "crown"

Based on what we've seen so far he can compete in the regular season and did well enough to reach the WCF two years in a row

However, he also had a bunch of really poor showings in these playoffs and it seems like he shrinks when the game isn't going well. The next step for him would be unlocking that next tier of production and being able to take over a game all by himself night after night. He's only 23 and multi-time all star, all-nba so he has plenty of time to find that next gear.

That's my take as well. Like you said, he's young and there's time for him to mature.

[sethc1020]

Originally Posted by bmf

https://www.instagram.com/p/DKPeycLO...F5N2x3ZXh2bg==

This is baby Jordan? This is the new face of the league?

What about him being quoted right after the game saying that no one is going to work harder than him this off season. I guess that doesn't count?

[kipgen]

Originally Posted by bmf

https://www.instagram.com/p/DKPeycLO...F5N2x3ZXh2bg==

This is baby Jordan? This is the new face of the league?

He has perspective

Is that supposed to be a bad thing?