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Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James is continuing his run as one of the league’s most popular players in Hollywood. James, who is in his 17th season, had the top selling jersey in the NBA during the league’s 2020 restart, according to data released by the NBA.
The 35-year-old finds himself at the top after earning the distinction of the leading vote-getter at the 2020 NBA All-Star Game in February. LeBron came to the Lakers in the summer of 2018 after leaving his hometown team, Cleveland Cavaliers again, signing a four year contract worth $153.3 million. He also had the top-selling jersey last season.
Anthony Davis finished at number three on the list of the top selling jerseys. The 27-year-old was traded by the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart and three first-round picks to the Lakers in 2019. He currently has a $28.7 million player option for 2020-21, the final season of a five-year extension he originally signed with the Pelicans in July 2015
While a veteran like James led the list, the league’s current crop of young stars were heavily featured. Luka Dončić, Jayson Tatum, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokić and Ja Morant — who are all 25 or younger — finished in the top 15.
Dončić, who was born in Slovenia, came to the NBA in 2018 after he was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks from his former European team Real Madrid. The Hawks later traded Doncic to the Dallas Mavericks where he signed a rookie contract of $32.6 million. The 21-year-old earned over six million All-Star votes in 2020, which trailed only James.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, who joined the Milwaukee Bucks in 2013, also was near the top of the list with the fifth most-sold jersey. The 25-year-old is still under contract for the 2020-21 season at $27.5 million. He is soon to be a free agent if he wishes to not sign a supermax contract with the Bucks for five years at $221.6 million.
Other notable players on the list are Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors and Kevin Durant of the Brooklyn Nets, who finished sixth and seventh, respectively.
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