Jason Collins Jersey is Best Selling NBA Merchandise Now; Where to Buy?
Fans have been snatching up the jersey of Jason Collins, the first openly gay player in a North American major league sport. The 35-year-old veteran basketball center, who has been without a team has just signed with the Brooklyn Nets for a 10-day contract.
Although Collins didn't score a point in his 11 minutes he did manage 2 rebounds and a steal.
Off court however is a different story, his numbers are staggering; his Jersey has been selling like hotcakes and outperforming the sales of the league's superstars, writes MSN
The 98 "COLLINS" jerseys (click here to see) were made available at the NBA's New York store as well as online and by Tuesday, it was the league's most popular jersey, said Vicky Picca, NBA Senior Vice President.
Picca notes that the jersey has outperformed the likes of Kevin Durant, LeBron James as well as Blake Griffin.
On Wednesday, Picca said: "Jason Collins' return to the league represents a historic moment and fans continue to show their support by making Jason's jersey the top-selling jersey on NBAStore.com today."
Collins has yet to wear the iconic No. 98 jersey as he signed his contract with the nets the same day he debuted in his first game. Since no jersey has been customized for him, he had to make do with a generic No. 46 jersey that was available at the time, says USA Today.
The trailblazer athlete has been using the No. 98 as a tribute to Matthew Shepard, the gay teenager who was murdered in 1998. Collins used No. 98 in the 2012-2013season with the Boston Celtics and Washington Wizards.
"I know everyone in the NBA family is excited for him and proud that our league fosters an inclusive and respectful environment," said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver after Collins' signing last Sunday, reports CNN.
Collins states that he didn't set out to be the first openly gay athlete in a major team sport, "But since I am, I'm happy to start the conversation." He continues: "I wish I wasn't the kid in the classroom raising his hand and saying, 'I'm different.' If I had my way, someone else would have already done this. Nobody has, which is why I'm raising my hand."
The jerseys are available at the New York store or online but according to some shoppers, the only thing left right now are the $250 authentics.
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