Apr 283 min read

These Five Former NBA Stars Are Passing The Torch To The Next Generation

With every new generation, there is always a "passing of the torch" moment between the last generation of stars and the latest generation. New stars come in, battle against the now older former stars, and take their place as the faces of the NBA and how exactly they are correlated.

This list is based on the similarity of their play styles and situations, as well as how they act and where they are in their careers.

1) LeBron James Passing The Torch To Victor Wembanyama

The simplest way to explain this one is the expectations. Coming out of high school, LeBron was immediately dubbed "The Chosen One," the one who could challenge Jordan for the status as the NBA's GOAT. Similarly to LeBron, Wembanyama has been called an Alien for years for the freaky things he can do on the court. With these freaky abilities came freaky expectations for Wembanyama to challenge LeBron and Jordan for the status of GOAT in the NBA. I'm sure LeBron won't mind leaving the insane expectations and demands of being the chosen one with Victor.

2) Carmelo Anthony Passing The Torch To Jalen Brunson

While the first was about status and expectations, this is about the vibe and choices. Anthony and Brunson wanted to play for the Knicks, so they found their way to New York and became stars. While Anthony was already a much more established star than Brunson was when he came over from Denver, it doesn't change their love for the city and their excellent play as the face of the Knicks organization. Brunson still has a way to go to steal away some of Carmelo's records, but if Brunson stays dedicated and at his pace, he'll be there in no time.

3) Vince Carter Passing The Torch To Anthony Edwards

This comparison is about passion, but also their style of basketball. Edwards might be the most ferocious in-game dunker since Carter, and he has only just started his career. The main similarity between the two is the insane athleticism that allows them to clear seven-foot-tall humans regularly and their vicious drive to slam the ball into the hoop as hard as possible. Not to mention how both have massacred a non-U.S. basketball player (Vince Carter in the 2000 Olympics and Anthony Edwards over Yuta Watanabe).

4) Russell Westbrook Passing The Torch To Ja Morant

While I was tempted to do Gilbert Arenas (Get it?), Russell Westbrook makes too much sense to compare with the young Grizzly. While Westbrook was much more triple-double-oriented when he was the leader of his teams, the comparisons with Morant are still incredibly pertinent. Both are high-flying point guards who can run the court and get the best out of those around them. While Morant might be a bit of a better shooter, a Russ might be a bit of a better passer, and the comparison is strong between the two.

5) Nikola Jokic Passing The Torch To Alperen Šengün

I know it is wild to have Jokic passing the torch at only 29 years old, but that is meant more symbolically. Jokic has re-established the center-focused offense, with the added twist where the center can run the offense either at the top of the key or out of the paint. Šengün has followed this model to a tee and has nearly replicated Jokic's style in Houston with their young core. While Jokic is still pretty young and is more than set to terrorize the NBA with his slow and nonchalant play style for the next decade or so, Šengün will likely have something to say in the coming years after studying and following in the footsteps of Jokic.

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