Although the 2021-22 Los Angeles Lakers disappoint on the court, LeBron James and Co. remain powerhouses off the court and maintain their status as one of the most recognizable brands in the U.S. and around the world.
James again garnered the most votes in the All-Star Voting this year, captaining one of the All-Star Game teams for the fifth time in a row. Also, both the 37-year-old forward and the Lakers dominated the rest of the NBA in merchandise and jersey sales in the first half of the 2021-22 season.
It turns out James and L.A. boast the top-selling player and team uniforms at Lids in 30 U.S. states, according to ESPN’s Nick DePaula:
Here’s the NBA’s top selling Player & Team jerseys by state at @Lids this season:
• @KingJames & @Lakers are #1 in 30 states
• @Bulls are best sellers in 8 states
• Retired players are top sellers in 14 states
• Mike Bibby has the best-selling player jersey in Alabama pic.twitter.com/gcsoh921RO— Nick DePaula (@NickDePaula) February 17, 2022
The Chicago Bulls are the only other team to top jersey sales in more than one state with eight. Among the players, only Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and Vince Carter’s jerseys are best-sellers in multiple states.
Bryant’s uniforms are the most-purchased in Alaska and North Dakota, Jordan’s sell the most in Illinois, South Dakota, and Delaware, while Carter’s are the most popular in Maine and West Virginia.
Interestingly, retired players’ jerseys lead shirt sales in 14 states. The numbers come from in-store sales data at over 2,000 Lids stores across the country.
James says Luka Doncic’s game reminds him of himself
James’ jerseys will likely sell well even after the 37-year-old calls time on his illustrious career. But by that time, Luka Doncic’s uniforms will likely have become best-sellers in parts of the country, as the Dallas Mavericks superstar is well on course to replace James as the face of the NBA.
The Lakers All-Star has been a fan of Doncic’s talent — valuing the 22-year-old so much he recently compared the Mavericks forward to himself.
“I love everything about his game,” James said. I love everything about him. The way he plays the game reminds me of the way I play the game. We’re just triple threats. We rebound. We pass, which is the number one thing on our mind, trying to keep our teammates engaged and keeping our teammates feeling good on the floor, keeping our teammates in rhythm.
“And we will put 40 on you too if you disrespect us.”
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