You Love Wearing Kobe Jerseys

Right now, the Lakers are the biggest show in the NBA.

As evidence, Kobe Bryant has sold more jerseys so far this season than anyone in the NBA, according to the league itself. Although walking around the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica probably could have told you that as well, with all the 24 jerseys you see.

The NBA keeps track of jersey sales at its massive store in Manhattan as well as at NBAstore.com, and there is a lot of Kobe love in those places. Not shockingly, LeBron James is No. 2, followed by Dwight Howard, the Bull’s Derrick Rose and Miami’s Dwyane Wade rounding out the top five.

Pau Gasol is No. 10 in jersey sales (and he does better in Europe). For the second year in a row, the Lakers were the team leader in merchandise sales.

It’s not just online -- television ratings go up when the Lakers are on nationally. Which is why they are on nationally a lot. The Lakers are the biggest draw in basketball in terms of selling out road arenas.

It’s not just about the winning, although winning is part of it. It’s that the Lakers are the love them/hate them team in the NBA right now. They are the big market team with the tradition and the advantages. They are the Yankees, the Cowboys of the NBA. Their fan base is national and the people that love them really love them. The people that hate them, really hate them.

And that makes for good drama, and that makes for good television and ratings.

The NBA needs its stars, and its star teams, more than the NFL or other sports. David Stern has made no bones about marketing his stars, back from the days of Magic and Bird. Personalities are the face of the league, not teams, but if the two can be combined all the better. Like Kobe on the Lakers.

It is also why Thursday night’s game between the Lakers and Cavaliers will be maybe the highest-rated cable television game of the season. Let’s just hope -- unlike on Christmas Day -- the game lives up to the hype.