LeBron's 76ers Jersey Sales Top Shohei Ohtani's Dodgers Record for Biggest Debut Ever - Bleacher Report

What the report says

Bleacher Report, citing an announcement from Fanatics, reported that demand for LeBron James’ new Philadelphia 76ers No. 23 jersey set a company record after his move to the team. According to the report, Fanatics said James had the top-selling jersey debut for any player joining a new team across sports during the first 48 hours after the announcement.

The new mark surpassed the previous Fanatics record tied to Shohei Ohtani’s arrival with the Los Angeles Dodgers in December 2023. Bleacher Report said Fanatics did not release exact sales totals, but the company indicated that James-related 76ers merchandise moved faster in the first 24 hours than merchandise did during the first week after his 2018 decision to join the Los Angeles Lakers.

James announced July 24 that he would sign with Philadelphia after eight seasons with the Lakers, per Bleacher Report. The outlet also noted that several Sixers jersey colorways featuring his No. 23 were unavailable on Fanatics’ site during the first 72 hours after the decision, though Cleveland.com later reported they had returned to stock. Fanatics said James merchandise accounted for eight of the 10 top-selling products across its sports network since Friday.

The sales surge underscores the commercial impact of James changing teams as he enters his 24th NBA season. Bleacher Report framed the demand as part of heightened optimism around the 76ers, who also added Jaylen Brown in a trade, and as evidence that James remains one of the NBA’s most marketable players after ranking fifth in league jersey sales during the 2025-26 season.