2022.02.19

Yuta Watanabe 3rd most selling NBA jersey in Japan - Rui Hachimura also a high ranker at No.8

Yuta Watanabe hits the NBA merchandising sales market in Japan as his jersey rises up to No.3 in the top seller ranking. Rui Hachimura jersey is also among the top ten, climbing up as high as No.8, which is the same number as "八 (hachi)", the initial kanji in his family name and the jersey number now he owns for the Washington Wizards.

The NBA merchandising sales ranking, which is based on the sales data of the NBA official on-line store in Japan during the first half of the 2021-22 NBA season (from October 20, 2021 to January 31, 2022) came out just one day before the NBA All-Star break in JST. Overall outcome shows the significance of two Japanese players in their local market. While Watanabe made the top ten appearance two years in a row, Hachimura extends his own to now three consecutive years. Watanabe also pushed the Toronto Raptors' team merchandising sales to No.5 among all 30 NBA teams.

The player with the biggest jersey sales in Japan was LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers, who was followed by Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry and Watanabe. Both James and Curry made the top five for the fourth consecutive years. And they are the same 1-2 finish as the US sales ranking.

☆NBA jersey sales top 10 in Japan

1. LeBron James / Los Angeles Lakers
2. Stephen Curry / Golden State Warriors
3. Yuta Watanabe / Toronto Raptors
4. Kevin Durant / Brooklyn Nets
5. Paul George / Los Angeles Clippers

6. Luka Doncic / Dallas Mavericks
7. Jimmy Butler / Miami Heat
8. Rui Hachimura / Washington Wizards
9. Ja Morant / Memphis Grizzlies
10.Anthony Davis / Los Angeles Lakers