Sounds more like a product of being Millenials while the others you mentioned were from Gen X (like me). Millenials tend to be a bit softer / more optimistic which leads to a more likable personality.
Well, technically Lebron is a millennial. I think anyone born before 1982 is considered Gen X.
But yeah, millennials tend to be a more prone to group think, prefer the 'easier' way out (thus why you see superstars teaming up more now) and less individualistic.
I disagree with both of you.
Kevin Garnett was the furthest thing from soft, but he was optimistic (anything's possible) and I loved him. He was a funny/silly guy and he always made me laugh in interviews. He TRIED to make me laugh in interviews.
Other guys like Kobe/LeBron don't go into interviews with the mindset of entertaining the fans, (which is why they show interviews) they act serious, and just give responses that try to make themselves look good because they think they're better than everyone else.
Shaq is the same as KG. Funny guy, always trying to make the fans laugh and entertain them in interviews. He's continuing to do that in broadcasting, where he's always trying to put on a good show for the viewers, even at his own expense. He's cocky as hell, and "took the easy way out" by bailing on ORL after 4 years and going to team up with Kobe on a superpower, but he's a guy with a great personality, whom I love (even though he's a Laker who gave them 3 rings).
Then you've got Kobe, who grew up in same world/generation as KG and Shaq, and here's a guy who breaks up a family/marriage by letting the whole world know someone is cheating on their wife. Meanwhile, he's also cheating on his wife. And committing rape. Kidd, same generation, he's not like-able at all in interviews and he hit his wife. It has nothing to do with generation.
I find tons of the Gen X and earlier guys likeable, NBA or elsewhere. I find plenty of Millennials and "young guys" like Lowry or Jahlil Okafor unlikable.
All in all, I'd say NBA players are on average, the same as normal people. Some people are like-able or "charismatic" if that's what you want to call it and others aren't. Butler and Green have unreal amounts of charisma, and it will become more and more known the more they get in front of cameras. They're capable being politicians or broadcasters/analysts after their careers.