Basketball is the third most followed sport after soccer and cricket, with approximately 2.2 billion fans worldwide. The NBA, being the pinnacle of basketball, has benefited massively from basketball’s growing global appeal and influence. The popularity enjoyed by the NBA turns its star athletes into global icons, adored by millions of fans.
The NBA recently released the list of its highest-selling jerseys, and the list has taken many fans by surprise. League icon LeBron James has the third highest-selling jersey, with Stephen Curry leading the NBA in this category. However, Jayson Tatum has pipped his idol LeBron in this category, as he has the second highest-selling jersey in the entire NBA. These results have even taken him by surprise, as he wrote on X (formerly Twitter), “Wow this is crazy to me.”
Wow this is crazy to me https://t.co/9vt2ltz3Rz
— Jayson Tatum (@jaytatum0) January 30, 2024
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Apart from Tatum’s surprise, the presence of rookie Victor Wembanyama at the fourth spot on the list was also a significant surprise. This just goes on to show the level of hype and intrigue surrounding Wembanyama’s debut season. He achieved the highest ranking on the most popular jersey list for a rookie since Kristaps Porziņģis in the 2015-16 season.
Philadelphia 76ers’ breakout star Tyrese Maxey also made the list on the ninth spot, ahead of the likes of Damian Lillard, Ja Morant and Nikola Jokić. Elsewhere, Sacramento Kings’ De’Aaron Fox (no.15) made his debut on the most popular list. Devin Booker and Kevin Durant were also on the list. However, Booker pipped his teammate, as Durant ranked 8th, while D-Book ranked 7th. The NBA also released its top-selling team merchandise list.
Lakers ahead of Celtics and Warriors on the top-selling team merchandise list
The list of highest-selling player jerseys brought some unexpected names, but the list of top-selling team merchandise featured no major surprises.
The NBA's top-selling team merchandise list… based on https://t.co/I0ypSvyq5i sales from the first half of the 2023-24 season! pic.twitter.com/8nWPeE37SB
— NBA (@NBA) January 30, 2024
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The Los Angeles Lakers grabbed the top spot, with the Boston Celtics and the Golden State Warriors coming second and third, respectively. Despite their sub-par performances in recent seasons, the Chicago Bulls have maintained their popularity amongst fans, as they hold the sixth spot.
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Victor Wembanyama’s impact on the San Antonio Spurs’ merchandise sales is quite evident, as they cracked the top 10 for the first time since the 2017-18 season. The New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, Milwaukee Bucks, Phoenix Suns, and Dallas Mavericks round out the top-10 list.
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What are your thoughts on the list? Let us know in the comments below!
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