Watch: Shannon Sharpe cites LeBron James, Magic and Bird in 'face of NBA' criteria that rules out Zion Williamson, Ja Morant

For the last two decades, LeBron James has been one of the key pillars of the NBA. One analyst recently shared an off-the-court aspect that makes a player more marketable to reach this kind of status.

During a recent episode of "First Take," Shannon Sharpe got into one common piece among previous and current faces of the NBA. It was tht they were married. Sharpe brought up previous greats like Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. He also mentioned LeBron, who has been with his wife since they were in high school.

JJ Redick found the take to be a bit questionable, but Sharpe feels that it's an important factor for the face of a pro sports league. He compared looking at player's relationship status to the way people do for presidential candidates.

"Magic and Bird was married. LeBron was in a relationship with Savannah. How do we look at that?" Sharpe said. "When we look at presidental candidates, we want them to be secure. We want them to be foundational pieces."

Here's the video:

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LeBron James names two stars who could carry the torch after he retires

In his 21st season as the age of 39, there's no telling how many years LeBron James has left in the NBA. With the 20-time All-Star reaching the end of the road, the league has to start looking at the new generation to find its pillar.

Before the All-Star game on Sunday, LeBron James was asked about young players he could see rising to that status in the future. The first two names he mentioned were Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the OKC Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards.

"I would say Shai, Ant Man. I feel like those are two of the guys that could continue the torch after I'm done, Steph, KD, all the guys that have been setting the standard for so many years," LeBron said.

LeBron picked some good choices, as SGA and Edwards are two of the top young stars in the game. Both are in the midst of dominant seasons and have helped lead their respective teams to top spots in the Western Conference.

Gilgeous-Alexander finds himself in the MVP conversation. This season, he's averaging 31.1 points, 5.5 rebounds and 6.5 assists. Behind his strong play, the Thunder sit in second place in the West, with a 37-17 record.

As for Edwards, the former No. 1 pick just competed in his second All-Star Game in four years. At 22, he's averaging 26.3 PPG, 5.2 RPG and 5.3 APG. Still a few years away from his prime, Edwards could be one of the top talents in the NBA in the very near future.

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