Top 5 most popular NBA player of all time?

[iamgine]

imo:

1. Jordan
2. Kobe
3. Yao Ming
4. Lebron
5. Iverson/Shaq

[Sulico]

No way in hell Iverson is more popular than Magic or Steph or Wilt etc.

[Dr Hawk]

1. Jordan
2. Kobe
3. Lebron
4. Magic/Bird
5. Bird/Magic

[tontoz]

Magic and Bird were easily top 5 in popularity. Over Kobe and Iverson for sure. Jordan was the only guy i've see that was more popular than Magic and Bird.

Dr J deserves a mention.

[L.Kizzle]

Jordan
LeBron
Magic
Kobe
Shaq

[AlternativeAcc.]

LeBron
Jordan/pippen
Kobe (after death)
Bird
Shaq

[hateraid]

In terms of the timeframe or in the world today?

Jordan
Kobe
Lebron
Magic
Shaq

Iverson is more a suburban cultural icon. Curry is popular in today's demographic

The players listed above are brands that surpassed their core base into the mainstream

[Shooter]

Jordan
LeBron
Magic
Kobe
Shaq

Good list

[FultzNationRISE]

In terms of sheer global numbers, nobody who played in the 80s would qualify.

As OP noted, it’s basically Jordan, Yao, and any Americans who are huge in Asia (Lebron, Kobe etc).

[iamgine]

I don't think Magic was ever that popular. Might have to replace Iverson/Shaq with Curry.

1. Jordan
2. Kobe
3. Yao Ming
4. Lebron
5. Curry

Looks good?

[John8204]

1. Jordan
2. Lebron
3. Shaq
4. Barkley
5. Magic

[HunterSThompson]

#1 MJ
#2 Kobe
#3 Magic
#4 Bird
#5 Shaq/Yao


lebron isn't popular. if this was a polarizing top 5 then he would make the list but space jam flopped hard. they made like half what they spent on the movie. he's not very well liked around the world at all

[Round Mound]

1-MJ
2-Magic
3-Lebron
4-Bird
5-Kobe

[Airupthere]

MJ
Kobe
Magic/Bird
Shaq

[L.Kizzle]

Nobody knows Yao Ming outside of China. Literally haven't heard his name mentioned in years and I live in Houston.

[Manny98]

From the perspective of someone from the UK I'd say

1. Jordan
2. Kobe
3. LeBron
4. Curry
5. Shaq

[L.Kizzle]

#1 MJ
#2 Kobe
#3 Magic
#4 Bird
#5 Shaq/Yao


lebron isn't popular. if this was a polarizing top 5 then he would make the list but space jam flopped hard. they made like half what they spent on the movie. he's not very well liked around the world at all
You don't have to be well liked to be popular. He's been like the top vote getter in All Star games the past 15 seasons. What does Space Jam flopping have to do with him being popular or not?
Not being well liked means someone knows you enough to not like you.

[bizil]

1. MJ

MJ is the clear #1. After that, u could rank the list a numbers ways. But in my opinion with THESE icons:

Bron
Kobe
Shaq
Magic
Dr. J

I had to put Doc cause he was THE BLUEPRINT of what we see today in terms of superstar mass appeal. His freak athletic shit still stands up today standards. Plus he had the cool swag and classy image to be marketable. At one point, you could argue Doc was the most popular player in all of team sports. So he fits with the other guys I listed. MJ took what Doc did to the ultimate level. Damn near the same size, both the standard for freak athletic ability in their era, and had the marketable image a league could build around.

After these guys Bird, Kareem, Barkley, AI, Wilt, Russ, and Steph are worthy of top 10 status. U gotta show love some guys in the 60's and 70's.

[HunterSThompson]

You don't have to be well liked to be popular. He's been like the top vote getter in All Star games the past 15 seasons. What does Space Jam flopping have to do with him being popular or not?
Not being well liked means someone knows you enough to not like you.

is lebron popular compared to guys like durant/kawhi/giannis/jokic.. sure lol


compared to guys like jordan, Kobe, Magic world wide? hell no lol

a kobe movie wouldn't get blocked by China that's for sure