Curry tops jersey sales for latest quarter, Dellavedova cracks top 15
In shocking news, a run to the NBA Finals can be good for the brand.
The NBA's merchandise leaders for the quarter spanning April to June were released Tuesday, and there are few surprises on the list.
The NBA champion Golden State Warriors and their opposition, the Cleveland Cavaliers, dominate the list of top individual jersey sales. Regular-season MVP Steph Curry takes the top slot, followed by LeBron James - a staple on these lists. Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson also made the top five, just behind resurgent Chicago Bulls star Derrick Rose.
Per the NBA, Steph Curry tops jersey sales for April-June. LeBron second. And, um, Dellavedova 14th?? OK then. pic.twitter.com/0qGKypbscI
— Howard Beck (@HowardBeck) June 30, 2015
Most surprising on the list is Matthew Dellavedova, who leveraged a strong early finals performance and his standing as an underdog to appear at No. 14. That should help further boost a profile that already has him inspiring a Hollywood project and getting a stadium named after him ahead of a payday in restricted free agency.
The Warriors and Cavaliers were also one-two in team merchandise, followed by the Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers landing fourth during the playoff quarter, when they were hardly a whisper in the league's news cycle by their standards, is a testament to the strength of their brand and their unwavering popularity.
The summer quarter should be interesting, with several second-tier stars potentially changing teams, Kobe Bryant entering what could be his final season, and a number of high-profile rookies joining marquee franchises through the draft.