Basketball superstar LeBron James arrives for a game at HP Field House in Orlando, Florida, on July 25, 2020. | Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images
The signature orange WNBA hoodie with logo was popularized by the late Kobe Bryant and embraced by NBA players and other celebrities. Sue Bird and the Seattle Storm topped the lists for most popular player jersey and team merchandise sales, respectively.
The WNBA announced Friday afternoon prior to tipoff of the 2020 WNBA Finals that the orange WNBA logo hoodie in 2020 became the bestselling merchandise piece in the league’s history.
It is “the most popular item this season across official online retail partner Fanatics’ network of e-commerce sites, including WNBAStore.com,” the league stated.
The late Kobe Bryant — a staunch supporter of the WNBA and a mentor to many if its players — was regularly seen sitting courtside at WNBA games wearing the orange WNBA logo hoodie alongside his daughter, Gianna.
NBA players like LeBron James have wisely donned the hoodie at times when cameras are most likely to be trained on them, such as during pregame entrances.
Just a few of the stars who showed support for the WNBA’s tip off yesterday pic.twitter.com/2oBe6gMrYU
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) July 26, 2020
When it comes to individual players and teams, all the hat tips go to the ballers of the old guard.
Sue Bird, an 11-time WNBA All-Star and three-time champion, had the bestselling jersey for the 2020 regular season. Considering that she missed all of the 2019 season following knee surgery and played in just 11 of 22 regular-season games due to knee soreness, load management and rest, this is quite an achievement.
Three other future Hall of Fame veterans and one rookie round out the top five player jersey sales:
Diana Taurasi (Phoenix Mercury), No. 2
Candace Parker (Los Angeles Sparks), No. 3
Sabrina Ionescu (New York Liberty), No. 4
Maya Moore (Minnesota Lynx), No. 5
It is Bird’s first time topping the list of player jersey sales.
It is a first-time appearance on the list for rookies Ionescu, the No. 1 pick in the 2020 WNBA Draft, and No. 2 pick Satou Sabally, who finished 10th in sales.
Courtney Vandersloot of the Chicago Sky, ninth in sales, also debuted on the list this year.
Bird’s Seattle Storm, who last won a championship in 2018 and will tip off in the WNBA Finals on Friday in pursuit of a franchise fourth, claimed the top spot for team merchandise sales. The Liberty came in second, followed by the Sparks (No. 3), the Las Vegas Aces (No. 4) and the Lynx at No. 5.
Top 10 most popular WNBA jerseys in 2020
- Sue Bird, Seattle Storm
- Diana Taurasi, Phoenix Mercury
- Candace Parker, Los Angeles Sparks
- Sabrina Ionescu, New York Liberty
- Maya Moore, Minnesota Lynx
- A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces
- Breanna Stewart, Seattle Storm
- Elena Delle Donne, Washington Mystics
- Courtney Vandersloot, Chicago Sky
- Satou Sabally, Dallas Wings
Top 5 most popular team merch in 2020
- Seattle Storm
- New York Liberty
- Los Angeles Sparks
- Las Vegas Aces
- Minnesota Lynx
The Storm and Aces, seeded No. 2 and No. 1, respectively, begin their battle for the 2020 championship in Game 1 of the five-game WNBA Finals series Friday night at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2.