NBA fans and analysts believe that LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers is the face of the league and, arguably, the best player. However, his time in the league is limited, and he could soon retire from playing the sport. With that in mind, there have been questions as to which player will step up and take James’ role moving forward.
NBA commentator Colin Cowherd isn’t shy in giving out controversial takes in his show. Recently, he addressed the league’s dilemma in looking for a replacement for James’ role in the basketball scene. Cowherd said that fans and experts alike shouldn’t look far when scouting for the next “best player” in the league.
He named James’ co-star, Luka Doncic, as a player who could potentially take over the NBA once the Akron-native retires.
“Luka was not in good shape. He was puffy. He was injured in camp to begin with, with Dallas pre-trade. I think Luca is going to have his best year as a pro. I think Luca is going to average about 31 a game,” Cowherd said.
“I think he’s in impeccable shape,” he continued. “And I think you’re going to see a real separation on most nights with Luka and LeBron. I think Luka is going to play like the best player in the league next year.”
"Luka's clearly the number one. LeBron's clearly the number two, and he knows it."@colincowherd says Luka is the clear new face of the franchise for the Lakers pic.twitter.com/xbIv5h07zF
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) August 4, 2025
“The Lakers, more than any organization in the history of North American sports, the Lakers always have a great face of the franchise,” Cowherd said. “Luka’s clearly the number one. LeBron’s clearly the number two, and he knows it.”
The Los Angeles Lakers have started to establish Doncic as the face of the team. Once James retires, though, the Slovenian star could take on the responsibility of being the best player in the NBA.
The Los Angeles Lakers star could make history with his next contract
Over the weekend, Doncic signed a three-year, $165 million contract extension with the Los Angeles Lakers. It’s a clear gesture that he wants to stay with the organization and move forward from his past with the Dallas Mavericks. After signing a new contract with the Lakers, the five-time All-Star has a chance to make history with his next contract extension.
The star guard could be the first player to be signed to a contract that could reach $400 million. Lakers Daily’s Ashis Mathur wrote on Monday that Doncic could make at least $80 million a year.
“A future Hall of Famer, Doncic will become the first player in NBA history to make $80 million per year when he signs that massive new extension in 2028. Unless Doncic suffers a career-threatening injury before the summer of 2028, the Lakers plan to offer him a five-year deal worth more than $400 million, the source said,” Mathur wrote.
The historic contract could take place two seasons from now.
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Reign also writes NBA and WNBA news updates on Sportskeeda. He started as a feature writer for AirAlamo, an NBA website that covers the San Antonio Spurs. Some of his work can also be seen with Valley of the Suns, a Phoenix Suns-centric website, where he served as a contributing writer.
