Russell Westbrook among bubble leaders in jersey sales, social media

Westbrook ranked in the Top 15 of jersey sales and in the Top 10 of social media follows added during the NBA’s bubble play.

From a basketball standpoint, Russell Westbrook didn’t have the best time at the NBA’s Disney World “bubble” complex to close out the 2019-20 season. He was a late arrival due to testing positive for COVID-19, and he missed the start to the playoffs with a nagging right quad strain.

Nonetheless, the nine-time NBA All-Star and 2017 MVP still remains a box-office attraction, as shown by a pair of new metrics.

With 289,771 Twitter and Instagram followers added since the start of bubble games on July 30, Westbrook ranks in the NBA’s Top 10 there. He also placed No. 13 in jersey sales over that same span.

In both categories, the 31-year-old Westbrook was the only member of the Rockets to be found among the league’s top 15 players. In contrastto co-star James Harden, who has been in Houston for eight seasons, it was Westbrook’s debut season with a new team — which may have sparked additional interest and demand for his brand.

For the 2019-20 regular season, Westbrook averaged 27.2 points, 7.9 rebounds, 7.0 assists, and 1.6 steals in 35.9 minutes per game. The 27.2 scoring average was Westbrook’s most since averaging 31.6 in his 2016-17 MVP season, and his 47.2% shooting clip with the Rockets was the highest of his 12-year professional career.

Westbrook, who was named to the All-NBA Third Team, is under contract with the Rockets through at least the 2021-22 season.

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