Pelicans F Zion Williamson could see his already impressive social media following expand after signing a multiyear deal with Jordan Brand. MVPindex, a social media-tracking company, gives Jordan Brand a .971 rating for the '19 calendar year, third-best among 434 athletic apparel brands listed in the company’s database. Nike and Adidas were Nos. 1 and 2. Jordan has 33.1 million total social media followers, with 55% of those on Instagram. So far in ‘19, the brand rates eighth among athletic apparel companies in total social media engagements (12.3 million), trailing No. 1 Nike Soccer, but also Adidas Football and Adidas Originals, Gymshark, Champion USA and Converse. Jordan’s top-10 social posts this year all came on Instagram. Brazil F Neymar, Rockets G Russell Westbrook and Michael Jordan himself were each featured in two of the posts, while a post highlighting a collaboration with rapper Travis Scott also performed well. Williamson became a social media juggernaut due to his exploits in high school and college, amassing almost 4 million Instagram followers and 390,000 Twitter followers. He ranks 63rd in MVPindex’s rankings of NBA players’ social media clout, but that should jump as his pro career gets underway. Westbrook (No. 5), free agent Carmelo Anthony (12), Thunder G Chris Paul (13) and Heat G Jimmy Butler (14) are prominent Jordan Brand ambassadors in the top 20 of MVPindex’s NBA player social media rankings.
