The NBA has been blessed for decades to have a seemingly never-ending string of transcendent superstars who create new fans and bring in the more casual viewers who aren’t that passionate about the sport.
But every decade or so, the league has to confront the issue of how to market a new generation of superstars who aren’t well-established yet.
Right now, as LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant, the three best players of the past 10-15 years, slowly approach retirement or a precipitous decline in their play, NBA viewership is reportedly on the decline.
Per NBACentral, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokić, both of whom have won multiple MVPs and at least one championship, haven’t brought in enough fans, and neither have young stars such as Anthony Edwards and Devin Booker.
NBA viewership continues to decline, and the league has yet to find the next star capable of drawing numbers similar to Steph Curry, LeBron James, and Kevin Durant, per @FOS
“The three stars showed their viewership pull when they teamed up with Team USA in the summer during the… pic.twitter.com/wBZ7iBz6Su
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) November 7, 2024
The summer Olympics did well because of the presence of James, Curry and Durant, all of whom committed to playing for Team USA shortly after it failed to win a medal in the 2023 FIBA World Cup.
Antetokounmpo and Jokic could be considered generational talents, but neither seems to have the charisma to be a generational talent in terms of marketing and attracting new fans.
Among the younger stars currently in the league, perhaps Edwards has the best chance of being that next face of basketball, and he certainly has the chutzpah, as he has said he will become the best player in the world within a few years.
There is also Victor Wembanyama, the 20-year-old 7-foot-4 San Antonio Spurs phenom whom many feel can become the best basketball player in the world himself within three to five years.
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