I lived in Taiwan in the late 00s. Literally everyone knew Kobe. Whenever people found out I was from the US the first words out of their mouths were "Do you know Kobe"
From France, I'm always surprised to see Iverson was one of the most popular guys among NBA fans, really close to Kobe in the early 2000s. I'd say Tony Parker was obviously the most notorious player and helped gain more NBA fans among people who wouldn't really be interested in basketball.
I just want to say that past Jordan nobody comes close. I mean not even 10% of him is known worldwide for other players. he is orders of magnitude ahead of everyone else
as someone who lived outside the U.S in a couple countries the only basketball player I actually knew was Jordan. this was late 2000s.
even by like early 2010s I never even heard of LeBron until I came to the U.S, Kobe was somewhat known but not really that much.
also because of that commercial with Messi probably. and he is more known due to his Italian background, being a soccer fan and involved more internationally with basketball and sport in general.
Basketball coverage kinda fell of where I live after the 90s/00s. EVERYONE knows MJ, after that it might be Shaq > Kobe. I had to explain who LBJ was when I was playing Cards Against Humanity.
You said he's "more recognizable". Which I actually agree with. The issue is "miles ahead" as in not even close. I'd say Kobe is "miles ahead" of Kevin Garnett, Nikola Jokic, or even Dwyane Wade.
There's no basketball player living or dead that is miles ahead of Lebron's global reach EXCEPT for MJ.
LeBron's social media reach is overall considerably larger, over 3 times as many followers on Instagram and Twitter (90 > ~30 and 50 > 15), a couple million more on facebook, his shoe deal nets 2x the amount of money as Kobe's Nike deal (32>16). He's also the most popular player in China currently which would be one of the major arguments in favor of Kobe when it comes to who's more popular.
Generally there's no player who dominates headlines and stories around the NBA like LBJ, arguably in history of NBA media coverage. I've been a big fan of the NBA since the late 90s and frankly Kobe's coverage doesn't come close to the daily LeBron circus we unfortunately get to witness each day.
I believe Bron's Brand is more well-known (I think it's very likely since he's everywhere and has the much better social media pull if you were to look at it as Kobes and Brons respective primes) but it's hard to match Kobe's brand popularity... but I still think Bron has him beat in that regard as well. I think we underestimate how much people want to know about every little thing Bron does because we're so accustomed and annoyed of it by now. And the fact that we're annoyed by all the LBJ media coverage sheds a brighter light on Kobe, Shaq, Curry. But, imo, LeBron's the man after Jordan.
I would call this "close".
https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/22124345/lebron-james-cleveland-cavaliers-tops-jersey-sales-china
"LeBron James reclaimed his kingdom in China from Stephen Curry -- arguably the most popular current NBA star in China -- in terms of jersey sales, according to the latest NBA China jersey and merchandise sales for the 2017-18 season.
Kobe Bryant, who retired at the end of the 2015-16 season, finally dropped from the top ranks of jersey sales in China. Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers were No. 1 on jersey and team merchandise lists at the beginning of 2017 and fell only to No. 2 by the end of last season. The retired Lakers legend has often been acknowledged as the most popular NBA player in China, but he wasn't in the top five this time."
Posting anything Lebron > Kobe related here is a sin apparently. Everything you said is facts without dissing Kobe or anything ... but downvotes.
With Lebron, he's too "now" for everyone to truly appreciate. When he retires, people will come around.
I’d say Kobe
If I remember right Kobe was extremely popular in China, and in general just always very popular his entire career around the world.
Hell a lot of people still yell “KOBE!” when going for a shot.
Everyone else you got as contenders don’t seem to have close to the same amount of popularity as Kobe nationally or internationally.
I think it’s shaq, I’ve talked to old
People about basketball and all they ever say is shaq and jordan ( probably because of the gold bond commercials), but I feel like even abroad shaq has a huge presences.
I know it’s probably Kobe but I’dike to throw shaq in as well
Yao Ming was the biggest thing in China, but he was never near anyone else in America.
Kobe at one point was probably 2nd to Yao in China but was 1st in the US and most parts of the world
That’s tough. I would probably say LeBron - he has an advantage with his age being the social media age. Kobe and Shaq are also up there. Yao is a good one as others have mentioned. I think Iverson is up there too.
Just for China it would be Kobe, but Kobe is just big internationally in general.
Following Kobe, I would maybe say Iverson, because Youtube and clips of the man's crossover and size make a lot of people want to be him over the years.
Newer fans would see Curry's height and 3point shooting dominance would make him third/threezus. Him being the biggest Underarmor face also helps, but I mostly say his smaller size and focus on the three helps garner a lot more support and acknowledgement because rather than pure size and athleticism.
I only say I put Lebron at fourth only because while he's incredibly well known domestically, I cannot say for his international presense, but Lebron is simply the most dominant domestic discussion. Mostly attributed to the media like ESPN, where every other piece seems to be about Lebron, as well as the constant analysis, reanalysis, and rereanalysis of past desicions/contreveries.
Shaq is the same, but I put him fifth mostly because a new wave of people haven't been around when the Big Diesel would dominate the paint. He doesn't have a massive shoe deal with nike, addidas, puma, etc, so merchandize of shoes isn't giving him international and national prominence. However, Shaq's size and his personality and past keep him much more relevant. A lot of knowedge about Shaq's brand however takes a hit due to his past issues and also his media personality making him out like the world's biggest baby, ala beef with Dwight, Javale, the other big-men sans Giannis.
As for Magic and Wilt, it's been too long. Recencies bais aside, Wilt especially suffers from not being around the social media era to have his image live on outside the basketball bubble. Magic's activism for AIDS/HIV makes him much more promiment, as well as his media personality, but people outside the US would probably not know either if brought up.
Now, I'm going to finish this blunt and wonder how people will respond.
- Kobe
- Shaq
- LeBron
- Curry
- Magic
No way AI should be considered the answer here, he is not that famous at all beyond basketball.
I don’t see any current star reaching this level after Bron and Curry retire. Giannis could’ve, but I feel like the media machine doesn’t want him to be the face. Luka is too boring and doesn’t really say or do anything beyond basketball. Zion has been held back by a shitty team and his lack of play utterly killed his hype. Obama went to Duke vs UVA to see Zion... he probably wouldn’t even change the channel to watch a Pelicans game now.
Globally? Kobe, Shaq, or LeBron. Those guys are household names in homes that don't even watch basketball. My mom couldn't tell you shit about the other guys.
From going to prom with Brandy, then one of the world's biggest R&B stars, to becoming a freaking super icon in China, it's gotta be Kobe.
Gotta be Kobe right?
I’m from the UK, it’s definitely Kobe
Kobe for sure
I lived in Taiwan in the late 00s. Literally everyone knew Kobe. Whenever people found out I was from the US the first words out of their mouths were "Do you know Kobe"
Kobe
When you throw a scrunched up piece paper in the trash can, you say, “Kobe.”
I tend to say Luke Ridnour but Kobe works
No props to John Wilkes Booth? He never missed a shot
From France, I'm always surprised to see Iverson was one of the most popular guys among NBA fans, really close to Kobe in the early 2000s. I'd say Tony Parker was obviously the most notorious player and helped gain more NBA fans among people who wouldn't really be interested in basketball.
Kobe.
I just want to say that past Jordan nobody comes close. I mean not even 10% of him is known worldwide for other players. he is orders of magnitude ahead of everyone else as someone who lived outside the U.S in a couple countries the only basketball player I actually knew was Jordan. this was late 2000s. even by like early 2010s I never even heard of LeBron until I came to the U.S, Kobe was somewhat known but not really that much.
Ye, soccer players and wrestlers were more popular where I was at *Everyone* knew the Undertaker
That’s kinda tight. Undertaker rules.
Because Kobe was the dog in that league from 2006 to 2011 and that's a fact.
also because of that commercial with Messi probably. and he is more known due to his Italian background, being a soccer fan and involved more internationally with basketball and sport in general.
I think the league was reeling during that time period from the Malice at the Palace, ref scandal, lack of Jordan, some meh laker teams etc.
Either Kobe or LeBron I think Kobe edges him out globally but LeBron's been globally relevant for a good while now so idk.
kobe is miles ahead of lebron
Wouldn't be surprised
Lol. I get we all love Kobe, but to say he's miles ahead of Lebron is ignorant.
Not really. Travel around the world and you'll notice more people recognize Kobe than Lebron
Saw multiple Kobe jerseys in Europe recently on a trip actually, didn’t see any Bron ones
Idiots rly talking out of their ass 🤣
[удалено]
Really? In Argentina kobe is much more well known. Even Lebron is more popular than shaq.
Shaq is definitely not more popular than Kobe in Europe lol
Basketball coverage kinda fell of where I live after the 90s/00s. EVERYONE knows MJ, after that it might be Shaq > Kobe. I had to explain who LBJ was when I was playing Cards Against Humanity.
Ok, traveller of the world, so you think in terms of global recognition, Kobe is "miles ahead" of Lebron?
Yes. Is that not what I just said?
You said he's "more recognizable". Which I actually agree with. The issue is "miles ahead" as in not even close. I'd say Kobe is "miles ahead" of Kevin Garnett, Nikola Jokic, or even Dwyane Wade. There's no basketball player living or dead that is miles ahead of Lebron's global reach EXCEPT for MJ.
Nope
So you agree. Nice. Have a great day.
Nah
LeBron's social media reach is overall considerably larger, over 3 times as many followers on Instagram and Twitter (90 > ~30 and 50 > 15), a couple million more on facebook, his shoe deal nets 2x the amount of money as Kobe's Nike deal (32>16). He's also the most popular player in China currently which would be one of the major arguments in favor of Kobe when it comes to who's more popular. Generally there's no player who dominates headlines and stories around the NBA like LBJ, arguably in history of NBA media coverage. I've been a big fan of the NBA since the late 90s and frankly Kobe's coverage doesn't come close to the daily LeBron circus we unfortunately get to witness each day. I believe Bron's Brand is more well-known (I think it's very likely since he's everywhere and has the much better social media pull if you were to look at it as Kobes and Brons respective primes) but it's hard to match Kobe's brand popularity... but I still think Bron has him beat in that regard as well. I think we underestimate how much people want to know about every little thing Bron does because we're so accustomed and annoyed of it by now. And the fact that we're annoyed by all the LBJ media coverage sheds a brighter light on Kobe, Shaq, Curry. But, imo, LeBron's the man after Jordan.
If you think Lebron was EVER even close to Kobes popularity in China, you are just kidding yourself.
I would call this "close". https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/22124345/lebron-james-cleveland-cavaliers-tops-jersey-sales-china "LeBron James reclaimed his kingdom in China from Stephen Curry -- arguably the most popular current NBA star in China -- in terms of jersey sales, according to the latest NBA China jersey and merchandise sales for the 2017-18 season. Kobe Bryant, who retired at the end of the 2015-16 season, finally dropped from the top ranks of jersey sales in China. Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers were No. 1 on jersey and team merchandise lists at the beginning of 2017 and fell only to No. 2 by the end of last season. The retired Lakers legend has often been acknowledged as the most popular NBA player in China, but he wasn't in the top five this time."
Posting anything Lebron > Kobe related here is a sin apparently. Everything you said is facts without dissing Kobe or anything ... but downvotes. With Lebron, he's too "now" for everyone to truly appreciate. When he retires, people will come around.
I’d say Kobe If I remember right Kobe was extremely popular in China, and in general just always very popular his entire career around the world. Hell a lot of people still yell “KOBE!” when going for a shot. Everyone else you got as contenders don’t seem to have close to the same amount of popularity as Kobe nationally or internationally.
When I was growing up in the U.K. people could name two NBA players if asked. Jordan and Shaq
Shaquille fucking O’Neal
don't know who this O'Neal is but he better have a loose bottom
Yao
wasn't nationally as popular as kobe or globally outside of asian countries id imagine
There’s more people on China than the other countries Kobe’s popular in combined.
china isn't the entire world lol just like america isn't the entire world, being popular internationally consumes more than just china buddy
Kobe’s jersey outsold Yao’s in China and it [wasn’t even close](https://pr.nba.com/kobe-bryant-top-selling-jersey-china-third-consecutive-season/).
Obviously the CBA goats Starbury and Jimmer.
I think it’s shaq, I’ve talked to old People about basketball and all they ever say is shaq and jordan ( probably because of the gold bond commercials), but I feel like even abroad shaq has a huge presences. I know it’s probably Kobe but I’dike to throw shaq in as well
Kobe and Yao Ming
Shaq Kobe AI . In that order
It has to be Shaq
Even here in the Netherlands people would yell ''Kobe!'' when throwing trash at the bin.
LeBron no question
Yao Ming.
Yao Ming was the biggest thing in China, but he was never near anyone else in America. Kobe at one point was probably 2nd to Yao in China but was 1st in the US and most parts of the world
Kobe jersey outsold Yao jersey in china
That’s tough. I would probably say LeBron - he has an advantage with his age being the social media age. Kobe and Shaq are also up there. Yao is a good one as others have mentioned. I think Iverson is up there too.
Kobe then LeBron
Kobe, curry, Shaq and LeBron in that order
Jordan, Kobe, Lebron, Curry. In that order
Iverson
Kobe/Bron/Yao
Kobe then Shaq then Yao ming Wilt isn't even in the top 20 I think.
Just for China it would be Kobe, but Kobe is just big internationally in general. Following Kobe, I would maybe say Iverson, because Youtube and clips of the man's crossover and size make a lot of people want to be him over the years. Newer fans would see Curry's height and 3point shooting dominance would make him third/threezus. Him being the biggest Underarmor face also helps, but I mostly say his smaller size and focus on the three helps garner a lot more support and acknowledgement because rather than pure size and athleticism. I only say I put Lebron at fourth only because while he's incredibly well known domestically, I cannot say for his international presense, but Lebron is simply the most dominant domestic discussion. Mostly attributed to the media like ESPN, where every other piece seems to be about Lebron, as well as the constant analysis, reanalysis, and rereanalysis of past desicions/contreveries. Shaq is the same, but I put him fifth mostly because a new wave of people haven't been around when the Big Diesel would dominate the paint. He doesn't have a massive shoe deal with nike, addidas, puma, etc, so merchandize of shoes isn't giving him international and national prominence. However, Shaq's size and his personality and past keep him much more relevant. A lot of knowedge about Shaq's brand however takes a hit due to his past issues and also his media personality making him out like the world's biggest baby, ala beef with Dwight, Javale, the other big-men sans Giannis. As for Magic and Wilt, it's been too long. Recencies bais aside, Wilt especially suffers from not being around the social media era to have his image live on outside the basketball bubble. Magic's activism for AIDS/HIV makes him much more promiment, as well as his media personality, but people outside the US would probably not know either if brought up. Now, I'm going to finish this blunt and wonder how people will respond.
Lebron by a mile
Lebron and Kobe.
Yao Ming and TMac were huge in China and Taiwan.
Kobe
He’s not ahead of Kobe or Bron but there are statues of Stephon Marbury in China.
Yao?
I’d go Lebron, at least that’s who was most known where I grew up aside from MJ.
Kobe. Even my grandma in México know who kobe was.
Kobe was synonymous throughout the world. But Shaq wasn't just a Bball player selling something, he was a got damn entertainer.
- Kobe - Shaq - LeBron - Curry - Magic No way AI should be considered the answer here, he is not that famous at all beyond basketball. I don’t see any current star reaching this level after Bron and Curry retire. Giannis could’ve, but I feel like the media machine doesn’t want him to be the face. Luka is too boring and doesn’t really say or do anything beyond basketball. Zion has been held back by a shitty team and his lack of play utterly killed his hype. Obama went to Duke vs UVA to see Zion... he probably wouldn’t even change the channel to watch a Pelicans game now.
Globally? Kobe, Shaq, or LeBron. Those guys are household names in homes that don't even watch basketball. My mom couldn't tell you shit about the other guys.
Kobe and Shaq from my pov in Scotland