Luka Doncic leads NBA in jersey sales after Lakers-Mavericks trade

For the first time since 2012-13, someone other than LeBron James or Steph Curry tops jersey sales.

Apr 9, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) reacts against the Dallas Mavericks during the second half at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

The Dallas Mavericks' decision to trade away is having more impact than Nico Harrison and Patrick Dumont likely ever imagined, and not in a good way. Sending him to the Los Angeles Lakers gives the NBA's biggest brand one of the most marketable stars in his prime and it's hurting the Mavericks.

Dallas is expected to lose out on hundreds of millions of dollars over the next few years because of their decision to trade Doncic away between tickets, merchandise, concessions, and more. Revelations like the one released on Monday afternoon won't help anything.

READ MORE: Former Maverick posterizes Warriors star Steph Curry to cap off NBA regular season

Apr 11, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) moves the ball against the Houston Rockets during the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images | Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images

The NBA released the jersey sale leaders for the 2024-25 season on Monday, with Luka Doncic topping the list over Stephen Curry and LeBron James, the first since the 2012-13 season that someone other than those two stars led in jersey sales. Another former Maverick star, Jalen Brunson, checked in at 5th.

Luka Dončić is the NBA’s new top jersey-seller … and the first player not named Stephen Curry or LeBron James to sell the NBA’s most jerseys in a season since 2012-13 … and the first international player to lead the league.

More NBA from me:  https://t.co/3dNEEu2e4M pic.twitter.com/yiIZBxbiUi

— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) April 14, 2025

Doncic also became the first international player to ever top the jersey sale charts. It helps when two he's the favorite player of two fanbases, as Mavericks fans have mourned the loss of their superstar player to a rival franchise, as evidenced by his return to Dallas last week. People were cheering more for Doncic than they were for the Mavericks, and the jerseys were split fairly evenly among Mavericks and Lakers Doncic jerseys. And Lakers fans have embraced him with open arms, as they should, even if they feel slightly dirty with how the trade went down.

Sales were likely increased in the immediate aftermath of the trade as Dallas fans tried to round up the last of his Mavericks jerseys before they were pulled from shelves.

It'll be a long time before the Mavericks have someone as marketable as Doncic if they ever do again. Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis are great players, but they weren't homegrown superstars like Doncic was, a player the fanbase felt a real connection with. That's something that can't be replaced, no matter what Nico Harrison believes.

READ MORE: Disastrous Nico Harrison trade decision for Mavericks receives final detail

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