"Never woke up saying it’s my league": LeBron James doubles down on major NBA debate 

As LeBron James approaches the end of his NBA career, there have been constant debates about who the next face of the league will be. During a recent interview, the star forward opened up on when he was first stepping into this major spotlight.

For the past two decades, James has been widely recognized as the face of the league. Along with being one of the top performers consistently, he is also among the biggest mainstream figures in the sports world.

During his appearance on the "Pat McAfee Show," published on Wednesday, LeBron opened up on being dubbed the face of the NBA. He never felt that the league was "his," but did understand there was a responsibility to usher in a new era.

"I never had that notion and never woke up like yeah this is my league," LeBron said. "But I did know there was a responsibility put on me to carry the league in a certain fashion."

The 4x MVP later dove into how the league was going through a bit of a transition when he first arrived, sort of similar to what is going on now. Michael Jordan was at the end of his playing days with the Washington Wizards, leaving fans in need of a new high-level talent to cling to.

As a high-touted prospect with massive expectations, the focus quickly shifted to LeBron to carry the NBA on his shoulders.

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LeBron James is among those to weigh in on the 'face of the league' NBA debate

With guys like LeBron James, Steph Curry and Kevin Durant getting older, the face of the league debate has been a big topic in NBA circles. Among the countless people who have weighed in on the discussion is the LA Lakers forward.

Over the past two years, countless young stars have been tossed out as guys who could lead the NBA into a new generation. One of the more common names brought up is Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards. He was asked about taking the reigns during All-Star weekend, to which he openly said he didn't want it.

Edwards' comments were met with some backlash, but LeBron James was one of the few who came to his defense. He doesn't blame him for not wanting to be the face of the league given how the game is covered today.

"Why do you want to be the face of a leauge when all the people that cover our game and talk about our game on a day-to-day basis s*** on everybody?" LeBron said.

Now at the age of 40, James doesn't have much time left in the NBA. Knowing this, the league is desperate to find a talent capable of being the frontman for the league for the next generation of fans.