Charles Barkley Calls Out ESPN: 'Anthony Edwards is Not The Face of NBA'

Charles Barkley is calling out ESPN for prematurely crowning Minnesota Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards as "the future face of the NBA." 

ESPN, known for its bad takes, appears to be off the mark with its portrayal of Edwards as the star the league needs once LeBron James retires.

During Tuesday's episode of "Inside the NBA," Barkley was quite outspoken. 

"OKC is the best team in the NBA," he said. "I’ve been telling y’all that for two months. Hey, ESPN, I love you guys. Don’t try to make Anthony Edwards the face of the NBA, the face that the NBA is. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Joker [Nikola Jokic], and Giannis [Antetokounmpo]. You can’t give it to people, they have to take it. And Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is taking it." 

Stephen A. Smith, the biggest and loudest face at ESPN, is most guilty of calling Edwards the flawless face of the league.

Barkley highlights that ESPN isn’t paying attention, noting that Minnesota is crumbling in the Western Conference Finals while Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander deserves the spotlight. 

Last season, the Timberwolves lost to the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference Finals. ESPN hyped Edwards as the heir apparent to LeBron James, with his eccentric on-camera presence and occasional poster dunks fueling "next guy up" buzz. But the reality is, Edwards' struggles to find postseason success hinder that ideal scenario. Facing elimination down 3–1 to the Thunder, the Timberwolves and Edwards are losing credibility as serious contenders in the West.

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - MAY 26: Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves smiles during warm up before the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder during Game 4 of the 2025 NBA Western Conference Finals on May 26, 2025 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)

While it sounds like a Minnesota issue, Anthony Edwards’ hollow candidacy for "face of the league" is a bigger problem for the NBA and ESPN. 

Falling dramatically short of the NBA Finals for two straight postseasons, the Timberwolves and Edwards lack the pedigree to be the bankable star the NBA needs for ratings once LeBron retires. 

ESPN will keep carrying water for a league struggling to draw viewers, but without a true star to fill that massive void, the NBA risks another dip in viewership.

Today’s league is dominated by European stars like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic and newly named MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, alongside Luka Doncic and Victor Wembanyama. 

Edwards will undoubtedly be a star of the league. Is he the star the NBA needs now? He's not there yet.

Charles Barkley, once again, is on the money about his future employers at ESPN.

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