In the sports world today, social media interactions are something that every league is chasing. This reflects in the types of players the league promotes to ensure their league is relevant to the audience that watches the sport they organize. It has allowed the NBA to grow exponentially outside America.
But which players are the most valuable commodities? Everyone knows that players like LeBron James and Steph Curry have the largest cultural impact and appeal worldwide, but in the vacuum of the internet, which players manage to sell the most?
While jersey sales may still belong to LeBron James, he isn’t even cracking the top 5 of the list that ranks which players received the most views on NBA platforms. Ja Morant is the leader by far, with Steph Curry, Jayson Tatum, Chris Paul, and Giannis Antetokounmpo making up the places behind him.
Which players have generated the most views on the @NBA’s social-media platforms during the playoffs?
1. Ja Morant, 149.3M
2. Steph Curry, 88.M
3. Jayson Tatum, 56M
4. Chris Paul, 48.8M
5. Giannis Antetokounmpo, 46.2M
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Morant’s dunk against the Wolves has generated 44M views. pic.twitter.com/tB78e0xA4m
— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) May 5, 2022
Morant would have missed out on the Top 5 by just 2 million views if his dunk against the Timberwolves was the only thing posted all year. His exciting style is very attractive to watch as Morant is a genuine highlight machine. Ja being convincingly ahead of Steph Curry is surprising considering the historic season Curry had with breaking the all-time three-point record.
Jayson Tatum and Chris Paul have had big moments through the season and have found their way onto this list. Paul has one of the most intriguing storylines this season with respect to his quest for the first championship of his career. Tatum’s Celtics had a miraculous recovery in the second half of the season.
Giannis is another highlight-reel player, so the reigning Finals MVP making it on the list is unsurprising. But can this field of relative veterans catch up to players like Morant that seem to be capturing the imagination of viewers worldwide with his athletic plays? We will have to see.
