When it comes to the popularity of a pro athlete, the proof is in the proof of purchase.
When you think of the Philadelphia 76ers, you don’t exactly think of them as the NBA’s most marketable franchise or as one full of stars. That could change with the arrival of No. 1 draft pick Ben Simmons. In fact, if jersey sales are any indication, it’s already happening.
Per Philly.com, Simmons is already in the top ten of NBA jersey sales before ever playing one game.
Since draft night, Fanatics.com is reporting that in terms of merchandise sales, Simmons is the 10th-best seller among National Basketball Association players. He’s the highest-selling Philadelphia athlete in all sports across the Fanatics platform of hundreds of e-commerce sites, which includes SixersShop.com – the Sixers’ official team store.
Fanatics also says SixersShop.com has seen a 76 percent spike in sales from last year due in large part to the drafting of Simmons.
Their list of the best-selling jerseys between June 23 and August 31 include LeBron James, Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Derrick Rose, Dwyane Wade, Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, Russell Westbrook, and Simmons.
With two of those players now retired, it stands to reason that Simmons will keep moving up the list, especially if he can make good on those high expectations once the season actually begins.
