Who Is the Face of Every NBA Franchise?

Having a player that is the face of the franchise is an important tool for an NBA team. Not only are they important for the play on the court, but they are also important for marketing purposes. Big-time players bring in the fans, and we are about to identify who that player is for each franchise.

Even the franchises that really lack that marquee, superstar-type player have a face of the franchise. Some are young players who appear to be destined to be superstars but are not quite there yet. Others are not worthy of this status and are not expected to be, but they are forced into the role since there is no one else to fill it.

Determining this face of each franchise can be tricky. It is not always the most talented player, but rather it is the high-profile player that the organization wants to build around and that fans love. Sometimes that player and the most talented player are one and the same. Sometimes they are not.

What follows is a breakdown of each face of each franchise with their stats and an explanation of why they hold this status for their team.

Atlanta Hawks: Al Horford

2011-12 Stats: 12.4 points, seven rebounds, 1.3 blocks

You might be surprised to see Al Horford in this spot instead of Josh Smith. While Smith is probably the most talented player on the team, he has been mentioned in trade rumors for years now. It seems that Horford is the player the franchise really wants to build around.

Despite playing out of position and really not getting that many shots, Horford has shown himself to be a very capable player. His numbers should go up this season now that Joe Johnson is gone, as the Hawks will need him take on a bigger load. Atlanta needs to get him another big man to play alongside, but either way, he is the player they are building around for the future.

Boston Celtics: Kevin Garnett

2011-12 Stats: 15.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, one block

Rajon Rondo is the most talented player on this Boston Celtics team. However, Kevin Garnett is the face of the franchise. When you think of the current incarnation of the Boston Celtics, you think of defense, toughness and veteran leadership. That is Garnett.

He proved last season that he is still among the best big men in the league. The move to center helped the team combat their depth issues in the frontcourt, and he earned a new contract out of the Celtics because of it. Without the great season he had last year, he probably would not be the face of the franchise any longer.

Brooklyn Nets: Deron Williams

2011-12 Stats: 21.7 points, 8.1 assists, 3.3 rebounds

Deron Williams decided that Brooklyn was where he wanted to be this past offseason, and he is not just being paid for his contributions on the court. He is also being paid to be the face of the franchise and the centerpiece of what the Nets hope will be a championship contender for years to come.

Williams certainly has the ability to fill the bill. Not only does he make everyone around him better, but he also can score all by himself. He is also in the biggest sports market in the world on what has become one of the highest profile teams in the sport.

Charlotte Bobcats: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist

2011-12 Stats (College): 11.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists

Unfortunately for Charlotte Bobcats fans, there really is not a player on this team that has proven himself worthy of being considered a face of the franchise, much less the face of the franchise. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is the only logical choice, but it could be because he is the only one that has not disappointed us yet.

Still, he is the first piece in a major rebuilding project that will take many years, and he appears to be up for it. He is a good player who has high character and a strong work ethic. His defensive prowess will be helpful immediately, and his commitment to getting better makes him an ideal candidate long term.

Chicago Bulls: Derrick Rose

2011-12 Stats: 21.8 points, 7.9 assists, 3.4 rebounds

There is not another player in the entire NBA that is more identifiable with his team and city than Derrick Rose is with the Chicago Bulls. He is from the city and embodies its culture and spirit, which is obviously why he is the face of the franchise.

There is also, of course, the little fact that he is by far the best player on his team. The Bulls made it clear in last year’s playoffs that Rose is their motor and leader by getting bounced out of the playoffs in the first round after he went down with an injury. No other team relies so heavily on their franchise player than this one does.

Cleveland Cavaliers: Kyrie Irving

2011-12 Stats: 18.5 points, 5.4 assists, 3.7 rebounds

There were people out there who did not believe that Kyrie Irving would be the player that most others expected him to be. It is pretty obvious that he has erased those concerns and doubts.

He is the player and face of the franchise that the Cleveland Cavaliers were hoping to find after the departure of LeBron James. He is a solid all-around point guard who makes his teammates better, scores and can rebound. Point guards are better than ever before, and Irving falls right into that group.

Dallas Mavericks: Dirk Nowitzki

2011-12 Stats: 21.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists

Dirk Nowitzki is not only a Hall of Famer, but he is also the staple of the Dallas Mavericks franchise. His 14-year career has all been with Dallas and has seen its share of highs and lows. Knowing all of that, it makes sense that the city of Dallas and the franchise’s fans would love this guy.

He led the team to its only title just a few years ago, and that alone will make him a beloved figure in Dallas for forever. He is also marketable as an international athlete, and his uniqueness as a player also distinguishes him from other franchise players in the NBA.

Denver Nuggets: Ty Lawson

2011-12 Stats: 16.4 points, 6.6 assists, 1.3 steals

The Denver Nuggets have been one of the most balanced teams in the NBA since they traded away Carmelo Anthony a few seasons ago. However, that does not mean that they do not have a franchise player. Ty Lawson is that player.

As the player who really leads this team, Lawson is the face of the franchise. He has not become a big name just yet, but he will if he continues to play the way he has recently and his team continues to improve.  My bet is that both of those things will happen.

Detroit Pistons: Greg Monroe

2011-12 Stats: 15.4 points, 9.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists

Premium big men are hard to find in the NBA, especially ones that can really perform on the offensive end. Greg Monroe proved last season that he is one of those few big men who can do just that.

The addition of Andre Drummond as the potential center should make Monroe even better, as he will no longer need to worry so much about protecting the hoop. His ability to do a little bit of everything will make him the building block toward the next great Pistons team.

Golden State Warriors: Stephen Curry

2011-12 Stats: 14.7 points, 5.3 assists, 3.4 rebounds

The Golden State Warriors have really lacked a player that could fill this role for them. While they have had plenty of talent in guys like Monta Ellis and Baron Davis, none of those players have ever been able to take that talent and translate it into winning.

Just as importantly, none of them have been able to really generate all that much interest in the team outside of their fanbase.

Stephen Curry has the best chance to do that right now. His injury problems are the biggest thing standing in the way of him becoming a really good player, and possibly even great. He is young, so he has plenty of time; and he is their best chance at having a true franchise face.

Houston Rockets: Jeremy Lin

2011-12 Stats: 14.6 points, 6.2 assists, 3.1 rebounds

It is up for debate as to whether or not the Houston Rockets overpaid for the services of young point guard Jeremy Lin. What is not up for debate, though, is the question of who the face of this franchise is.

Lin has become a huge media star since the amazing stretch of basketball he played last season for the New York Knicks. The pressure will be heavy on him next season to prove he was worth all the hype and money. No matter how he plays, though, he is the guy who fans will want to watch, and that is what makes him the face of this franchise.

Indiana Pacers: Roy Hibbert

2011-12 Stats: 12.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, two blocks

A max contract is not something that you give to a player who is not the face of your franchise. Period. Roy Hibbert may not seem like the leader of the team or really even the most exciting player on the squad. However, getting that type of money makes him that player by default.

He is obviously talented, but he has yet to make that transition from promising young player to good franchise center. The potential is there, and the Pacers were willing to bet millions of dollars on it. However, that money forces that role on him now, whether he is ready for it or not.

L.A. Clippers: Chris Paul

2011-12 Stats: 19.8 points, 9.1 assists, 3.6 rebounds

Blake Griffin is a very good young player. However, he is not the leader of this team. While he fits the marketability aspect of being the face of a franchise, his play on the court does not equate to it. Chris Paul is the face of this franchise.

Ever since he arrived there, Paul has overshadowed Griffin. This is Paul’s team. He directs the offense, and he is the emotional leader as well. Unlike Griffin, Paul can also claim his position as the best point guard in the game. Griffin cannot do that, which is why he makes a great second banana to Paul.

L.A. Lakers: Kobe Bryant

2011-12 Stats: 27.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, 4.6 assists

Kobe Bryant is the face of the Los Angeles Lakers franchise. This should be the least surprising piece of information in this slideshow. Bryant has won five championships, an MVP and scoring titles. He has also been a great defender and leader. This player wins and he is one of the biggest sports stars living on the planet. This is really no contest.

Memphis Grizzlies: Marc Gasol

2011-12 Stats: 14.6 points, 8.9 rebounds, 1.9 blocks

I am going out on a bit of a limb here, but I really believe that Marc Gasol will be the player that powers this franchise moving forward. While Rudy Gay and Zach Randolph have been the two big stars of this team for a long time, they seem to really cancel each other out (both on and off the court).

Gasol’s visibility internationally helps him as well as his mad skills on the court. If he can continue to improve, he will become the focal point of this franchise. I believe that will happen, and he will become a household name.

Miami Heat: LeBron James

2011-12 Stats: 27.1 points, 7.9 rebounds, 6.2 assists

Yet again, there is another no-brainer here. LeBron James is the best basketball player in the world and is becoming a global icon. No one affects a game in as many ways or as well as James does, and he is unquestionably the biggest star in the NBA.

Dwyane Wade is a big star also. While the team used to be unquestionably his, the leadership and clutchness that James displayed recently in the NBA Finals and the Olympics has made the Heat his team.

Milwaukee Bucks: Brandon Jennings

2011-12 Stats: 19.1 points, 5.5 assists, 1.6 steals

The Milwaukee Bucks have been mediocre for a long time. It is hard to say that such mediocrity has been unrelated to the fact that Brandon Jennings has been the face and star of the franchise. With the arrival of Monta Ellis, many might think Ellis has supplanted Jennings in this role.

However, this is still Jennings’ team, for better or worse. He is a high-volume point guard who is a scorer at heart. If he wants to improve his team and his game, he will need to diversify his game. If he does not, this may not be his team for long.

Minnesota Timberwolves: Kevin Love

2011-12 Stats: 26 points, 13.3 rebounds, 0.5 blocks

Kevin Love is the face of the Minnesota Timberwolves franchise. For many years now, he really has been by default. It was only during the 2011-2012 season after he finally found a good sidekick in Ricky Rubio that he established himself as being worthy of this role.

Love is one of the best rebounders in the game and is a pretty recognizable player as well. The Timberwolves appear to be on the cusp of playoff contention, and as long as they get there soon, Love should be their face for a very long time.

New Orleans Hornets: Anthony Davis

2011-12 Stats (College): 14.2 points, 10.4 rebounds, 4.7 blocks

Truthfully, Eric Gordon should be the player on this slide. He is a very good NBA player who has proven himself throughout his career as a good scorer and potential star. However, it is clear that Anthony Davis is already set up to be the guy for this team moving forward.

Gordon will still be a big piece, especially because of the big contract he was given this offseason. Davis will be the centerpiece, though, as the anchor of the defense and a force (hopefully) inside. He is one of the most anticipated rookies in recent history, and that is a big part of why Davis is already the face of this team.

New York Knicks: Carmelo Anthony

2011-12 Stats: 22.6 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.6 assists

I feel sorry for Amar’e Stoudemire. Things were going well for him in New York under Mike D’Antoni. He was the king of the town and the team was his. He was having a career year. That is all gone now. This is now Carmelo Anthony’s team.

And it should be. Anthony is more talented and a better player all around. Stoudemire has not shown that he can play outside of an up-tempo, pick-and-roll system, whereas Anthony is a tremendous isolation player whose game translates a bit more easily.

Oklahoma City Thunder: Kevin Durant

2011-12 Stats: 28 points, eight rebounds, 3.5 assists

With a lot of young stars on the team, fans may be confused about who the face of the franchise is for the Oklahoma City Thunder. It is Kevin Durant.

Russell Westbrook, James Harden and Serge Ibaka all have the potential to be big stars in their own right, but none of them has the transcendental talent of Durant. He is one of the game’s best scorers and could end up being considered among the greatest ever at the end of his career.

Orlando Magic: Glen Davis

2011-12 Stats: 9.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, 0.3 blocks

Glen “Big Baby” Davis is really not worthy of being the face of a franchise. Now that Dwight Howard is gone, though, Davis is the best player left to fill that role. Hedo Turkoglu would have been the guy a few years ago, but his time has passed.

Davis averaged 19 points and 9.2 rebounds per game during the playoffs as the primary option with Howard out. That proves that he can at least be a pretty good starting big man when given the chance. He is also only 26 years old, so he is an ideal player to build around for the future.

Philadelphia 76ers: Andrew Bynum

2011-12 Stats: 18.7 points, 11.8 rebounds, 1.9 blocks

Andrew Bynum has not even put on a Philadelphia 76ers jersey yet, and he is still already the face of the franchise. He completely changes the Sixers makeup both on the court and off the court.

So much more attention will be paid to them during the 2012-13 season because of his high profile and how much better they will be as a team. His star will soar even higher as he is finally unbridled and will be the No. 1 option for his team.

Phoenix Suns: Goran Dragic

2011-12 Stats: 11.7 points, 5.3 assists, 1.3 steals

Goran Dragic was brought in to Phoenix to be the next incarnation of Steve Nash. Replacing the face of a franchise basically makes you the new face of the franchise, especially in this case. Dragic will run the same offense Nash did, and he appears to be willing to fill that role.

He may not be as good as Nash was, but he will certainly be the best replacement the Suns could have found for their aging, former MVP point guard. Dragic will become a star under Alvin Gentry in that system, just as Nash was.

Portland Trail Blazers: LaMarcus Aldridge

2011-12 Stats: 21.7 points, eight rebounds, 0.8 blocks

LaMarcus Aldridge has been a very good player ever since he entered the league, but he really broke through during the 2011-12 season. He played incredibly well and showed himself to be among the top players in the NBA at his position.

Now that Brandon Roy, Jamal Crawford and Raymond Felton are all gone, this is Aldridge’s team. He is the star they must build around if they are ever going to contend in the Western Conference. His game on the court will not only power this team, but it will also make him into an even bigger star in the seasons to come.

Sacramento Kings: DeMarcus Cousins

2011-12 Stats: 18.1 points, 11 rebounds, 1.2 blocks

When I think of the Sacramento Kings, I think of DeMarcus Cousins. That has not always been a good thing throughout his tenure there, as he has had some problems both on and off the court.

However, the talent is there and him being the face of the franchise could become a good thing if he can ever learn to really tap that potential that we all know he has. He could be the next great big man in the game. Either way, he will be the face of the Kings for awhile.

San Antonio Spurs: Tony Parker

2011-12 Stats: 18.3 points, 7.7 assists, one steal

Not long ago, I would have told you that Tim Duncan was still the face of the franchise in San Antonio. Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker were very good, but they were not the leader or face of that team. The 2011-12 season changed that.

Tony Parker had the best season of his career in that year, and proved to us all that he is the new force inside that locker room. Duncan is still a great presence and leader, but he is no longer the star, and Parker was really more marketable than him from the start. He is still in his prime and has quite a few good years left as well.

Toronto Raptors: Kyle Lowry

2011-12 Stats: 14.6 points, 6.6 assists, 4.6 rebounds

Kyle Lowry is a solid young point guard who can really get a team moving and producing offensively. He is a new addition for the Toronto Raptors, which already adds a ton of pressure on him to produce as it is.

He is the face of this franchise because he is the one piece that is expected to make this whole thing work. The Raptors had a pretty good point guard last season in Jose Calderon, so Lowry must be a significant upgrade in order to make the team better.

Utah Jazz: Paul Millsap

2011-12 Stats: 16.6 points, 8.8 rebounds, 0.8 blocks

The Utah Jazz appears to be an up-and-coming team in the NBA today. However, they need a star player to build around in order to achieve long-term success. That man should be Paul Millsap.

Millsap has always been underrated in Utah, ever since he was the backup to Carlos Boozer. He scores and rebounds very well, despite the fact that he is a bit undersized. He is the type of player Utah must build around, and they have done a good job so far.

Washington Wizards: John Wall

2011-12 Stats: 16.3 points, eight assists, 1.4 steals

When he came out of college at Kentucky, we all knew John Wall was going to be a special player. And while he has been to a certain extent, he has not been good enough to help the Wizards win much.

Now that he has a better, more veteran cast around him with guys like Trevor Ariza, Emeka Okafor and Nene Hilario, Wall should be able to lead a winning team for the first time in his NBA career. He certainly has all the skills necessary to be a great point guard in the league, and he is also clearly the face of this franchise.