Sports Illustrated Social 100

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Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
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SOCIAL 100

TWITTER 100

Newshounds, influencers, a mascot. Find all of our must-follows below. (As usual, we kept SI staffers off the list, but you can find us here, and check out our main account at @SINow.)

All
Athletes/Coaches
Media
Entertainment
teams

Sam Amick @sam_amick

Amick gets great NBA access, and isn't shy about sharing the best bits.
FOLLOW
APSE @APSE_sportmedia

Retweets all the next day's sports covers. A must-follow for media junkies.
FOLLOW
Bruce Arthur @bruce_arthur

A nimble columnist who's comfortable weighing in on the Olympics, MLB or even the CFL.
FOLLOW
Atlanta Hawks @atlhawks

Ticket deals, highlights and swag? What more can you ask for from a team account.
FOLLOW
Bill Barnwell @billbarnwell

One of the sharpest football minds around. A must-read on Sundays.
FOLLOW
Michelle Beadle @MichelleDBeadle

Her profile: "I like dogs, guacamole, naps and on a good day, humans. Sheep not welcome. ESPN and HBO. ('Liking' tweets means I like you or I'm laughing at you. Thanks.)"
FOLLOW
Jay Bilas @JayBilas

Biting commentary on NCAA regulations and “trill” analysis on everything college hoops.
FOLLOW
Paul Bissonnette @BizNasty2point0

The former NHL-er is always irreverent, always entertaining.
FOLLOW
Will Brinson @WillBrinson

"Redskins 5-7 ... Eagles 5-7 ... Giants 5-7 ... Grossest three-way of all time." — 8:45 PM - 7 Dec 2015
FOLLOW
Dez Bryant @dezbryant

Unfiltered commentary with a whole lot of exclamation marks.
FOLLOW
Kobe Bryant @kobebryant

A measure of his impact: His retirement announcement has already been retweeted 130K times.
FOLLOW
John Buccigross @Buccigross

While the ESPN anchor hits on a variety of sports, hockey is his bread and butter.
FOLLOW
Timothy Burke @bubbaprog

Deadspin's Burke is an all-seeing eye who tends to focus on the bizarre and hilarious.
FOLLOW
John Calipari @UKCoachCalipari

A daily snapshot of the most connected coach in college hoops.
FOLLOW
Jose Canseco @josecanseco

“What if I am a alien and just don't know it ?” 4:51 PM - 30 Oct 2015
FOLLOW
Antonietta Collins @CollinsDeportes

A rising star at ESPN, Collins seamlessly switches between English and Spanish to service all audiences.
FOLLOW
Stephen Curry @StephenCurry30

"So, my Wife bought me a new toilet for our house. You know, one of those automatic ones. And i’m Hype!!! Yep That’s it, Goodnight! #blessed" 3:09 AM - 12 Nov 2015
FOLLOW
CJ Fogler @cjzero

The self-described "Snarkoleptic" is a go-to source for highlights.
FOLLOW
Deadspin @Deadspin

Some recent tweets: “Wait, so even referees are flopping now?” … “FSU's flag football sorority phenom now has a highlight reel.”
FOLLOW
Novak Djokovic @DjokerNole

Candid and witty, Djokovic takes you beyond the baseline throughout the year.
FOLLOW
Landon Donovan @landondonovan

Retirement has suited the ex-soccer star, at least on Twitter, where he's been fantastic.
FOLLOW
Sydney Leroux Dwyer @sydneyleroux

An intimate feed that takes you everywhere, including the operating room.
FOLLOW
Amin Elhassan @AminESPN

The #HateHard king is never afraid to step out on a limb.
FOLLOW
ESPN Stats & Info @ESPNStatsInfo

A great follow during games when numbers of interest arise.
FOLLOW
Sam Farmer @LATimesfarmer

The go-to source on the future of football in L.A.
FOLLOW
Roger Federer @rogerfederer

As his 4.35M followers know, Federer has perfected the emoji tweet.
FOLLOW
Bruce Feldman @BruceFeldmanCFB

As plugged-in as they come in college football.
FOLLOW
Football Zebras @footballzebras

Where else can you find out the body parts that put you down by contact?
FOLLOW
Julie Foudy @JulieFoudy

Incredibly knowledgable and passionate about the beautiful game.
FOLLOW
Jonathan Givony @DraftExpress

No one on Twitter has a better grasp of the upcoming class of NBA draft prospects.
FOLLOW
Jay Glazer @JayGlazer

Fox's resident newsbreaker is required reading Sunday mornings.
FOLLOW
Jeff Gluck @jeff_gluck

A must-follow for all things NASCAR.
FOLLOW
Kirk Goldsberry @kirkgoldsberry

The chartmaster provides a unique look at the NBA.
FOLLOW
Jeff Goodman @GoodmanESPN

Goodman provides robust college hoops coverage and interacts often with readers.
FOLLOW
Draymond Green @Money23Green

Brings the same fire and swag to Twitter that he has on the court.
FOLLOW
Tom Haberstroh @tomhaberstroh

Haberstroh digs deeper than anyone to find eye-popping stats.
FOLLOW
Spencer Hall @edsbs

Snarky college football commentary mixed with a dose of delightfully clever fake lyrics.
FOLLOW
Coach Jim Harbaugh @CoachJim4UM

Possibly the most enthusiastic and unsarcastic feed on Twitter.
FOLLOW
Kevin Harvick @KevinHarvick

Few athletes do a better job of connecting with fans on Twitter.
FOLLOW
Jon Heyman @JonHeymanCBS

A dogged MLB reporter, Heyman is a must-follow in the off-season and around the trade deadline.
FOLLOW
Phil Jackson @philjackson11

“NBA analysts give me some diagnostics on how 3pt oriented teams are faring this playoffs...seriously, how's it goink?” 10:28 AM - 10 May 2015
FOLLOW
LeBron James @KingJames

From hoops to politics, James isn't shy about broadcasting opinions to 25M-plus followers.
FOLLOW
Daniel Jeremiah @MoveTheSticks

Keeps an eye on the college and pro game, but at his best in the heart of scouting season.
FOLLOW
Adam Jones @SimplyAJ10

An unfiltered stream on anything and everything from one of baseball’s brightest stars.
FOLLOW
Cardale Jones @CJ12_

Jones is as genuine as can be on Twitter.
FOLLOW
Jonah Keri @jonahkeri

Canada’s favorite son still approaches baseball with the vigor of a lifelong fan.
FOLLOW
Christina Kim @TheChristinaKim

Even non-golf fans can appreciate Kim's energetic feed.
FOLLOW
Chris Kluwe @ChrisWarcraft

A steady stream of #RealTalk on the NFL and more.
FOLLOW
L.A. Kings @LAKings

The gold standard for hockey Twitter.
FOLLOW
Alexi Lalas @AlexiLalas

No one deals with trolls better than Mr. Lalas.
FOLLOW
Kyle Long @Ky1eLong

“Got dressed at Halas Hall, ate dinner at Lombardi's Steakhouse. Tomorrow the Chicago Bears play the Green Bay Packers. Football.” 4:45 PM - 25 Nov 2015
FOLLOW
Robin Lopez @rolopez42

When he's not picking fights with mascots, he's tweeting photos of his cat, Prince Edward Zephyr.
FOLLOW
Zach Lowe @ZachLowe_NBA

A film nerd's perspective on basketball without the pretense.
FOLLOW
Roberto Luongo @strombone1

A self-deprecating genius who has mastered the art of the tweet.
FOLLOW
Brandon McCarthy @BMcCarthy32

Everything from fashion to politics to Clayton Kershaw's mastery.
FOLLOW
Andrew McCutchen @TheCUTCH22

"I bit into a hard protein bar in the 2nd inning and the Veneer to my front tooth broke off... Yes, i hit a BUCktooth'd homer tonight." 10:52 PM - 23 Aug 2015
FOLLOW
Bob McKenzie @TSNBobMcKenzie

From injuries to trade chatter, TSN insider McKenzie keeps hockey fans in the know.
FOLLOW
Brett McMurphy @McMurphyESPN

Another trusted hand on ESPN's army of college football reporters.
FOLLOW
Matt Miller @nfldraftscout

As knowledgeable as they come on the NFL draft, with more in-depth mocks than you can handle.
FOLLOW
MLBcathedrals @MLBcathedrals

From blueprints to classic photographs, this feed is a stadium-phile’s dream.
FOLLOW
netw3rk @netw3rk

“if porzingis grows the cornrows back he'll be the runaway league mvp” 8:41 AM - 5 Dec 2015
FOLLOW
Courtney Nguyen @FortyDeuceTwits

Funny and informed, Nguyen takes a lighter approach to the lengthy tennis season.
FOLLOW
Rachel Nichols @Rachel__Nichols

The soon-to-be ESPN-er bounces between basketball and social issues with ease.
FOLLOW
Katie Nolan @katienolan

The FS1 "Garbage Time" host brings unfiltered opinions.
FOLLOW
Dirk Nowitzki @swish41

“Had this debate the other day in the locker room: Who wins a 40 yard dash between me and Peyton Manning???” 7:55 PM - 22 Oct 2015
FOLLOW
NYT 4th Down Bot @NYT4thDownBot

A healthy amount of snark breaks up this informative fourth-down strategist feed.
FOLLOW
Outsports @Outsports

"The worldwide leader in gay sports news, commentary, photos and videos."
FOLLOW
Kevin Owens @FightOwensFight

Whether sarcastically responding to fan insults or posting family pics, Owens is as much a force on the keyboard as in the ring.
FOLLOW
Buster Olney @Buster_ESPN

A great mix of original reporting and must-read links from around baseball.
FOLLOW
Onion Sports Network @OnionSports

“Jonathan Papelbon Stays After Game To Take A Few Practice Swings At Teammates” — 3:12 PM - 28 Sep 2015
FOLLOW
The Oregon Duck @TheOregonDuck

Everyone's favorite college mascot wears its heart on its sleeve.
FOLLOW
John Ourand @Ourand_SBJ

Ratings, scoops and more. A must-follow for sports media junkies.
FOLLOW
Hardwood Paroxysm @HPbasketball

Nearing 300K tweets and not slowing down anytime soon.
FOLLOW
Fake Bo Pelini @FauxPelini

“.@Pontifex NOT TRYING TO BE BOSSY BUT IF YOU GUYS DON'T DO SOMETHING ASAP IOWA'S GOING TO BE IN THE F-ING PLAYOFF”— 8:07 PM - 5 Dec 2015
FOLLOW
Mike Pereira @MikePereira

The NFL's former VP of officiating provides needed insight on calls in real-time.
FOLLOW
PFT Commenter @PFTCommenter

"Flacco putting himself in a early frontrunner positon to win comeback player of the year in 2016. Elite foresight imo" — 1:44 PM - 22 Nov 2015
FOLLOW
Ian Poulter @IanJamesPoulter

The fan-friendly golfer makes a habit of doing giveaways on this feed.
FOLLOW
ProFootballTalk @ProFootballTalk

An essential feed for those looking to stay up to date on the NFL's fast-moving news cycle.
FOLLOW
Dan Rafael @danrafaelespn

If you can’t be ringside, follow Rafael’s blow-by-blow breakdown of the biggest boxing matches.
FOLLOW
Ian Rapoport @RapSheet

NFL.com's leading news-breaker covers everything, from injuries to locker room turmoil.
FOLLOW
Ken Rosenthal @Ken_Rosenthal

One of the most connected MLB reporters, Rosenthal also delights with his strong bow-tie game.
FOLLOW
Ronda Rousey @RondaRousey

All eyes will be on Rousey's feed in the lead-up to Rousey-Holm II.
FOLLOW
SB Nation GIF @SBNationGIF

Who needs a DVR when you have the SB Nation GIF ninjas at your disposal?
FOLLOW
Adam Schefter @AdamSchefter

In an increasingly crowded field Schefter remains the go-to source for NFL news and notes.
FOLLOW
Bill Simmons @BillSimmons

"The smartest NBA tanking team right now is the Lakers - hiring Byron Scott is like hiring an actual tank." 8:37 AM - 29 Nov 2015
FOLLOW
Marc Stein @ESPNSteinLine

The well-connected Stein is always on the pulse of the happenings in the NBA.
FOLLOW
Super 70s Sports @Super70sSports

Wacky portraits, gear and logos from the golden age of sports.
FOLLOW
U.S. Olympic Team @TeamUSA

The account to follow as Team USA counts down to Rio.
FOLLOW
John Thorn @thorn_john

The official historian for Major League Baseball fills his feed with unique nostalgia.
FOLLOW
TMZ Sports @TMZ_Sports

Sensational? Always. But TMZ Sports has been at the center of too many stories to dismiss it outright.
FOLLOW
Haralabos Voulgaris @haralabob

The professional gambler is always parsing the NBA for an inside angle.
FOLLOW
Lil Wayne WEEZY F @LilTunechi

Celebrates his wide-ranging fandom with unbridled enthusiasm.
FOLLOW
Serena Williams @serenawilliams

“Deciding which songs I should sing at the @Delta karaoke event tomorrow night. Any suggestions? #DeltaOpenMic” 5:31 PM - 25 Aug 2015
FOLLOW
Brian Windhorst @WindhorstESPN

Rose to fame covering LeBron, but has come into his own as ESPN's roving NBA reporter.
FOLLOW
Henry Winter @henrywinter

A leading voice on all things English futbol.
FOLLOW
Adrian Wojnarowski @WojYahooNBA

The definitive follow for NBA news, regularly dropping #WojBombs that rock the Association.
FOLLOW
WTA Reactions @wtareactions

An account dedicated to GIFs showing that "tennis players—they're just like you."
FOLLOW
Greg Wyshynski @wyshynski

The editor of Puck Daddy always has a rundown of the hottest news and notes from around the NHL.
FOLLOW
Nick Young @NickSwagyPYoung

“I see the dab movement started” 11:56 AM - 7 Oct 2015
FOLLOW
Nick Zaccardi @nzaccardi

Well-informed on every Olympic sport, from curling to gymnastics.
FOLLOW

TOP TEAMS ON TWITTER

Which teams own the competition on Twitter? We went league-by-league to determine the top five. Note: Our rankings were determined by the quality of the feed, not the number of followers.

BEST FACEBOOK FOLLOWS

With his clever jabs and brilliant throwbacks, Tom Brady is the undisputed king of Facebook. But who rounds out the top 10?

Georges St-Pierre

MMA

Tony Hawk

Skating

Lindsey Vonn

Skiing

Allyson Felix

Track

Blake Griffin

NBA

Michael Phelps

Swimming

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson

Wrestling

Lolo Jones

Track, Bobsled

Boris Diaw

NBA

Tom Brady

NFL

TOP INSTAGRAM FEEDS

Instagram gives fans a peek into the lives of their favorite athletes. Who does it best?

Usain Bolt

Track

A photo posted by Usain St.Leo Bolt (@usainbolt) on Nov 26, 2015 at 6:31am PST

Stephen Curry

NBA

A photo posted by Wardell Curry (@stephencurry30) on Jun 21, 2015 at 6:59am PDT

Salvador Perez

MLB

"What are you doing man...J-Guts (@therealjguts) stop recording me man." No hermanito Cain 😂😂😂😂✈️✈️

A video posted by Salvador Perez (@salvadorp13) on Oct 18, 2015 at 6:06pm PDT

Vernon Davis

NFL

Today was #epic

A photo posted by Vernon Davis (@vernondavis85) on Sep 6, 2015 at 10:48pm PDT

Michelle Wie

Golf

A photo posted by Michelle Wie (@themichellewie) on Dec 7, 2015 at 11:50am PST

"Lucas Duda"

MLB

A video posted by Lucas Duda (@wefollowlucasduda) on Sep 11, 2015 at 3:36pm PDT

Serena Williams

Tennis

A photo posted by Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) on Nov 22, 2015 at 1:12pm PST

LeBron James

NBA

A photo posted by LeBron James (@kingjames) on Nov 23, 2015 at 8:23pm PST

Floyd Mayweather

Boxing

A photo posted by Floyd Mayweather (@floydmayweather) on Dec 3, 2015 at 2:24pm PST

Mario Balotelli

Fútbol

#KnowledgeIsPower reading books is cool😎 #StayInSchoolKids 📕👓😝

A video posted by Mario Balotelli🇮🇹🗿👪 (@mb459) on Jul 22, 2014 at 12:40pm PDT

BEST VINES

The highlights—and lowlights—we can’t stop watching.

By Dan Gartland

Thanks to James Harden for giving us the best reaction Vine of the season.

The unaltered version of this is great, but the Lance Stephenson version is like adding bacon to a cheeseburger.

The only way to watch this Vine is while rubbing your hands together and mumbling, “My precious.”

Dance like nobody’s watching. (The whole country is watching.)

Georgia State head coach Ron Hunter tumbling out of his chair at the sight of his son nailing a game-winning shot is the ultimate NCAA tournament moment.

Clemson’s Vine account might be the best in all of sports, and this might be their best Vine.

This is the future of NFL cheerleading.

A lot of people made fun of Mike Minns for dropping to the ground when he lost his shoe, but all we see is a heads-up play.

Astonishingly, this outburst by Atletico Madrid’s Arda Turan earned him only a yellow card. It did, however, earn him a shoe garnish on his birthday cake.

George Costanza taught us to leave on a high note. This is not that.

TWITTER 100

Newshounds, influencers, a mascot. Find all of our must-follows below. (As usual, we kept SI staffers off the list, but you can find us here, and check out our main account at @SINow.)

TOP TEAMS ON TWITTER

Which teams own the competition on Twitter? We went league-by-league to determine the top five. Note: Our rankings were determined by the quality of the feed, not the number of followers.

NFL

NBA

MLB

NHL

NCAAF

BEST FACEBOOK FOLLOWS

With his clever jabs and brilliant throwbacks, Tom Brady is the undisputed king of Facebook. But who rounds out the top 10?

Georges St-Pierre

MMA

Tony Hawk

Skating

Lindsey Vonn

Skiing

Allyson Felix

Track

Blake Griffin

NBA

Michael Phelps

Swimming

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson

Wrestling

Lolo Jones

Track, Bobsled

Boris Diaw

NBA

Tom Brady

NFL

TOP INSTAGRAM FEEDS

Instagram gives fans a peek into the lives of their favorite athletes. Who does it best?

Usain Bolt

Track

Stephen Curry

NBA

Salvador Perez

MLB

Vernon Davis

NFL

Michelle Wie

Golf

"Lucas Duda"

MLB

Serena Williams

Tennis

LeBron James

NBA

Floyd Mayweather

Boxing

Mario Balotelli

Fútbol

BEST VINES

The highlights—and lowlights—we can’t stop watching.

By Dan Gartland

Thanks to James Harden for giving us the best reaction Vine of the season.

The unaltered version of this is great, but the Lance Stephenson version is like adding bacon to a cheeseburger.

The only way to watch this Vine is while rubbing your hands together and mumbling, “My precious.”

Dance like nobody’s watching. (The whole country is watching.)

Georgia State head coach Ron Hunter tumbling out of his chair at the sight of his son nailing a game-winning shot is the ultimate NCAA tournament moment.

Clemson’s Vine account might be the best in all of sports, and this might be their best Vine.

This is the future of NFL cheerleading.

A lot of people made fun of Mike Minns for dropping to the ground when he lost his shoe, but all we see is a heads-up play.

Astonishingly, this outburst by Atletico Madrid’s Arda Turan earned him only a yellow card. It did, however, earn him a shoe garnish on his birthday cake.

George Costanza taught us to leave on a high note. This is not that.