New York, United States—LeBron James and the reigning champion Los Angeles Lakers were the top sellers in NBA jerseys and merchandise with the Brooklyn Nets rising to team-record sales levels.
The results announced by the league and players union were based upon NBA store website sales for the first half of the 2020-21 NBA season, which concluded last week.
No sales figures were released, only rankings, which saw Lakers superstar James listed atop the most popular selling jerseys followed by Slovenian Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks, Brooklyn’s Kevin Durant, Golden State’s Stephen Curry and Greek star Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Nets were the second-highest team on the most popular team merchandise sales list, thanks in part to three top-10 jersey sellers, including Durant, Kyrie Irving at sixth and James Harden at ninth.
Brooklyn’s figures also figure to be bolstered by this week’s signing of Blake Griffin, who was bought out by the Detroit Pistons.
Other top-10 jersey sellers include Anthony Davis of the Lakers at seventh, Boston’s Jayson Tatum in eighth and Zion Williamson of the New Orleans Pelicans at a career-best 10th.
Golden State ranked third on the overall merchandise sales list followed in order by the Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers, Miami Heat, Chicago Bulls, Dallas Mavericks, Toronto Raptors and Milwaukee Bucks.
Meanwhile, Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid will miss the next two weeks of the NBA season with a bone bruise on his left knee before being re-evaluated, the team announced Saturday (Sunday Philippine time).
The Cameroonian 7-footer (2.13m), who turns 27 on Sunday, was injured in the 76ers’ 127-101 victory Friday at Washington.
Embiid delivered a slam dunk in the third quarter but landed awkwardly and fell to the court. He was treated by a trainer and walked to the locker room, never returning to the contest for what the team called a hyperextended left knee.
Embiid hit 8-of-11 shots for 23 points against the Wizards and added seven rebounds, three assists and two blocked shots in the victory, which kept the 76ers atop the Eastern Conference at 26-12 and stretched their win streak to four games.
It was the All-Star big man’s first game back for Philadelphia after having to quarantine under league Covid-19 health and safety protocols, causing him to miss last weekend’s NBA All-Star Game and a 76ers’ win Thursday over Chicago.
Embiid and Australian teammate Ben Simmons were in close contact with a barber who later tested positive for Covid-19.
