The battle for L.A. is not even close-on the basketball court and when it comes to picking up merchandise. With the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals for the first time since 2010, thanks to the team’s dynamic duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the Lakers are once again at the top of the heap coal when it comes to league-wide popularity and the selling of merchandise.
Through the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association, it has been revealed that the Alpha Dog in those two categories are the Lakers. Let’s start off with what players has the top jersey seller. Take a guess? I’ll wait. Of course, it’s James.
Even though he did not win the league’s regular-season MVP, James has played all season like he is still the best player in the NBA. James has taken his play to another level in the postseason as the Lakers look to clinch the franchise’s 17th NBA title.
He has looked spectacular at times, dominant at others while the Lakers mowed down the Portland Trail Blazers, Houston Rockets and Denver Nuggets in three straight playoff series to claim the Western Conference championship before they entered the NBA Finals to entertain the Miami Heat.
It’s no wonder that James’ No. 23 has become No. 1 in NBA Jersey sales. Davis, the Lakers’ bookend teammate to James. comes in at No. 3 in the popularity department. Kawhi Leonard of the Los Angeles Clippers, a team that was expected by many basketball experts to be the team to represent the Western Conference in the NBA, gets the No. 9 nod out of the Top 15 jersey sellers.
The Heat’s Jimmy Butler (No. 10), Brooklyn Nets stars Kevin Durant (No. 7) and Kyrie Irving (No. 12), Golden State Warriors sharpshooter Stephen Curry (No. 6), and Boston Celtics playmaker Jayson Tatum (No. 4), are other notable names included in the Top 15 jersey-selling list. League MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks comes in at No. 5.
Now when it comes to the selling of team merchandise, the Purple and Gold can lay claim to the No. 1 spot as well. Thanks to their postseason run, the Heat jumped in at No. 4 in merchandise sales. Wrapping up the Top 5 in this category includes the Celtics (No. 2), Chicago Bulls (No. 3), and the Warriors at No. 5.
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