Jersey sales are the best indicator of a player's impact on the game!
An uncomplicated method of determining the all-time best jerseys involves defining "best" as the uniforms that have recorded the highest sales in any given year. However, does this criterion imply that these jerseys are the best in terms of design, style, and player popularity? Probably not for the former and perhaps for the latter. So, without further delay, let's check out who the jersey GOATs of the NBA are!
While there are no concrete figures due to Jordan's playing days predating the NBA's tracking of jersey sales, a 2008 UPI article indicated that Jordan's jersey ranked as the #1 seller when the NBA Store disclosed its top 10 all-time best-sellers. Despite the absence of specific sales data, there is a strong belief that Michael Jordan possesses the best-selling NBA jersey of all time. The iconic red or white Chicago Bulls #23 jersey likely dominated sales in the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s, when Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and the Bulls competed in the Eastern Conference Finals and achieved back-to-back three-peats.
Arguably, Jordan's jersey probably holds the top spot by a considerable margin, given his enduring influence on current NBA players, who often consider him the greatest of all time (GOAT). To uphold MJ's enduring prominence, various official Michael Jordan jerseys are widely accessible, encompassing different iterations of his Chicago Bulls uniforms and the acclaimed NBA Star jersey from 1991 and 1993.
Regardless of personal opinions on Kobe Bryant's playing style, there's no denying that Kobe is not only one of the league's most popular players but also one of the most influential players of all time. NBA enthusiasts during the 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s developed a strong admiration for Michael Jordan. However, since then, Kobe Bryant, known as the Black Mamba, has become a significant figure.
Due to his profound influence and impact, Kobe has been positioned as the second-best-selling NBA jersey ever. Contributing to his legacy is the fact that he clinched five NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers, led jersey sales in five seasons, changed his jersey number from #8 to #24 in 2005 (prompting fans to purchase more of his jerseys), and played in the league's second-largest market.
Sometime between 2016 and 2018, the discourse surrounding LeBron James shifted from acknowledging him as one of the best players ever to considering him in the conversation as the greatest player of all time. Regardless of personal opinions, the fact that there's even a debate about LeBron possibly surpassing Jordan speaks volumes. While arguments persist about who holds the top spot, we have LeBron ranked third in terms of the best-selling jerseys of all time. He dominated the best-selling list in the 2010s and led his teams to eight consecutive NBA Finals appearances, contributing to brisk jersey sales in Cleveland, Miami, and now Los Angeles.
In 2011, LeBron followed Kobe's example by switching his jersey number from #23 to #6, citing respect for Michael Jordan. During that period, he encouraged other players wearing #23 to do the same. Although he returned to #23 when moving back to the Cleveland Cavs in 2015, the number he currently wears for the Los Angeles Lakers and his jerseys from various career stages are available for purchase. Explore the collection of LeBron's jerseys, encompassing his time with Cleveland, Miami, and the Los Angeles Lakers, including his Mitchell & Ness Cavs jersey and his Miami Heat #6 jerseys.
Without a doubt, these three players have contributed much more to the league than jersey sales. However, their numbers show their overall impact and success in the NBA!
