LeBron James is one of the most well-known athletes in the world. Obviously, LeBron James is one of the best basketball players in the NBA, which in turn makes him widely beloved. He’s also fairly active on social media, while also appearing on TV whether on shows or product commercials.
His popularity with the public is partly shown by his social media following, and Arash Markazi has recently revealed that LeBron James has passed the 100 million follower threshold on Instagram. Markazi also added that LeBron James has more followers combined than the NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, MLS, and WNBA combined. It’s astounding that one player can amass a bigger following than America’s biggest sports leagues.
LeBron James now has over 100 million followers on Instagram. That's more than the NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, MLS and WNBA combined. pic.twitter.com/H4t3Kkmvmt
— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) October 8, 2021
It’s amazing that even though he is entering the latter stages of his career, LeBron James is still the most popular player in the league. According to Marc Stein, LeBron James led the list of the most popular jerseys in the NBA over the second half of the 2020-21 season.
It’s easy to see why fans still gravitate towards LeBron James: he’s been playing at an extremely high level for quite some time now and won the championship fairly recently during the 2019-20 season. LeBron James’ ability and talent certainly warrant his status as a fan-favorite player. He also happens to play for the Los Angeles Lakers, which certainly helps with popularity.
It remains to be seen whether LeBron James will remain the most popular player in the league in his last few years, and there are also other amazing superstars in the league that are admired by fans as well. But LeBron James’ longevity has been amazing as a player, and he has shown no signs of slowing down as he ages. He is also viewed in the same light as Michael Jordan by many, suggesting that he’ll be an icon for years to come. Some people believe that LeBron James is no longer the best player. Even if that’s true, it’s hard to see anyone passing him in terms of popularity.
