Paul George’s bold Tyrese Haliburton take is sparking major debate

Paul George said, "He's the face of the NBA." He wasn't talking about Anthony Edwards. He was talking about Tyrese Haliburton. A very bold claim. The NBA will soon be moving on from the post LeBron James, Steph Curry and Kevin Durant era, leaving the title of "Face of the NBA" up for grabs. And players such as Jayson Tatum, Paolo Banchero and none more favorable than Edwards have entered the discussion.

In the eyes of Paul George, Tyrese Haliburton is part of the conversation. Although it feels premature, Haliburton has swagger, is very down to earth and honest, is one of the best passers the game has ever seen, and he wins. For his continued success, he may steal the thrown from Anthony Edwards.

Is Haliburton actually the next face of the NBA?

The "Face" of the NBA has many requirements. The player must be a bonafide superstar. They should have a yearly spot in the MVP conversation. And anything short of a championship should be considered a failed season. They also must be personable, an ambassador and popular. LeBron James, Steph Curry, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, etc. all filled these requirements

George's take on Haliburton is very premature. It was up for debate on whether he was a superstar, which most believe he is, but being the face is a whole other story. He has yet to receive a single MVP vote (regardless of place), has not made anything higher than second team All-NBA, and his play can be inconsistent at times.

In every playoff series he's played in, Haliburton has had one game where he has scored 10 or less points. The Indiana Pacers are 1-5 in those games. When he scores more than 20, the Pacers are unbeatable. Eleven times Haliburton scored less than 10 points this season, which is three more than LeBron James has had in his entire career.

Haliburton still needs to do a little bit more if he wants to take the mantle away from someone like Anthony Edwards. Edwards is the most likely candidate due to his charisma. He's very honest, kids love him, he's a bit flashy, and he wins. There are two problems: Edwards has publicly admitted to not wanting the responsibility of being the ambassador, and he may never become the level of player that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is at right now.

Victor Wembanyama should be the player that the league wants to become the face. He would have the same type of effect that Shohei Ohtani brings to the MLB. He's from overseas and a freak of nature, he is expected to become the best player in the world, and when that happens, he would have the global influence that most of these stars won't be able to obtain.