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NBA led by Los Angeles Lakers, Zion Williamson on FanSided 250

By Phil Watson

PORTLAND, OREGON - DECEMBER 06: LeBron James #23 and Anthony Davis #3 of the Los Angeles Lakers speak during a time out in the second half of the game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center on December 06, 2019 in Portland, Oregon. The Lakers won 136-113. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images)
PORTLAND, OREGON - DECEMBER 06: LeBron James #23 and Anthony Davis #3 of the Los Angeles Lakers speak during a time out in the second half of the game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center on December 06, 2019 in Portland, Oregon. The Lakers won 136-113. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images) /
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The FanSided 250 was released Tuesday with a strong NBA presence. The Los Angeles Lakers are the NBA’s top-ranked team; Zion Williamson tops NBA players.

FanSided released its annual list of the top 250 fandoms on Tuesday, now called the FanSided 250, and the NBA had a very strong presence among those top 250 fandoms listed.

The methodology for selection this year was altered a bit from the list’s past iterations, with more consideration given to how much “buzz” a particular fandom had in 2019.

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Of the NBA’s 30 teams, 26 found a spot on the FanSided 250 along with 11 players, meaning the NBA accounted for 14.8 percent of the slots on a list that encompasses sports, entertainment, celebrities, gaming, pretty much anything out there that has fans who are active and passionate.

Throw in a pair of WNBA teams — the Las Vegas Aces at Mo. 114 and the Washington Mystics at No. 129 — along with two WNBA stars in Liz Cambage (No. 112) and Elena Delle Donne (No. 148), and pro basketball held a lot of sway among the buzz-worthy topics of 2019.

Here are the rankings both among NBA teams and overall in the FanSided 250:

  1. Los Angeles Lakers (No. 2 overall
  2. LA Clippers (No. 8 overall)
  3. Toronto Raptors (No. 15 overall)
  4. Golden State Warriors (No. 34 overall)
  5. Brooklyn Nets (No. 60 overall)
  6. Philadelphia 76ers (No. 72 overall)
  7. Boston Celtics (No. 76 overall)
  8. New York Knicks (No. 95 overall)
  9. Milwaukee Bucks (No. 104 overall)
  10. New Orleans Pelicans (No. 107 overall)
  11. Denver Nuggets (No. 111 overall)
  12. Portland Trail Blazers (No. 123 overall)
  13. Dallas Mavericks (No. 125 overall)
  14. Atlanta Hawks (No. 136 overall)
  15. Miami Heat (No. 151 overall)
  16. Houston Rockets (No. 154 overall)
  17. Memphis Grizzlies (No. 161 overall)
  18. Orlando Magic (No. 170 overall)
  19. Minnesota Timberwolves (No. 173 overall)
  20. San Antonio Spurs (No. 176 overall)
  21. Oklahoma City Thunder (No. 185 overall)
  22. Chicago Bulls (No. 187 overall)
  23. Indiana Pacers (No. 199 overall)
  24. Utah Jazz (No. 202 overall)
  25. Detroit Pistons (No. 205 overall)
  26. Sacramento Kings (No. 243 overall)

The only teams not to make the cut were the Charlotte Hornets, Cleveland Cavaliers (the post-LeBron effect), Phoenix Suns and Washington Wizards.

Perhaps the biggest surprise was the Brooklyn Nets, a franchise that — whether in Brooklyn, Newark, East Rutherford, Piscataway, Uniondale, Garden City South, Commack or Teaneck — has seldom, if ever, gotten much buzz over its 52-year existence.

That the Lakers and Clippers, the two Southern California NBA clubs, were the NBA’s top two teams is not a surprise. The Lakers had added LeBron James in the summer of 2018 and pulled off a blockbuster trade to land Anthony Davis last summer, giving the team two superstars (and a share of the NBA’s best record through games of Dec. 9).

The Clippers, long obscured by the long shadow of their much-more-accomplished co-tenants at Staples Center, moved the dial over the summer as well, signing two-time NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard as a free agent and acquiring Paul George in a huge trade from the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Clippers had better hope they win with this group, because help through the draft isn’t likely to be coming down the pipeline until late in the next decade. LA owes OKC its first-round picks in 2022, 2024 and 2026 and are subject to swaps initiated by the Thunder if the Clippers’ pick is more attractive in 2023 and 2025.

Toronto gained a lot of buzz during its first-ever championship run, while the Warriors are significantly less buzzy after (a) losing two starters to injury in the NBA Finals, (b) losing in said NBA Finals and (c) losing Kevin Durant in free agency and having to gut the bench depth in order to bring in D’Angelo Russell from the Nets in a double sign-and-trade move (Durant and Russell were unrestricted free agents).

The stunner on the list of NBA players chosen for the FanSided 250 is that the top-ranked player from the Association still has yet to play in his first official NBA game.

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Pelicans phenom Zion Williamson, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, has been limited to one Summer League game and four preseason appearances thus far and has yet to return after having surgery to repair a torn meniscus on Oct. 21, the day before the NBA season opened.

Here is the complete list of NBA players, with their NBA and overall rankings:

  1. Zion Williamson (No. 7 overall)
  2. LeBron James (No. 19 overall)
  3. Giannis Antetokounmpo (No. 27 overall)
  4. Stephen Curry (No. 64 overall)
  5. Luka Doncic (No. 70 overall)
  6. Kawhi Leonard (No. 86 overall)
  7. Kevin Durant (No. 94 overall)
  8. James Harden (No. 130 overall)
  9. Russell Westbrook (No. 138 overall)
  10. Damian Lillard (No. 139 overall)
  11. Joel Embiid (No. 209 overall)

The Houston Rockets were the only team represented by more than one player, thanks to their star-studded, MVP-trophy winning, reunited duo of James Harden and Russell Westbrook.

LeBron James remains a big draw even as he careens toward his 35th birthday on Dec. 30. Giannis Antetokounmpo’s MVP run last season rocketed him up the list, just as the decline of the Warrior dynasty sent Stephen Curry down a bit.

Kevin Durant is there despite not being to play a single game this season for his new team, the Nets, after surgery to repair an Achilles tendon he ruptured during Game 5 of the NBA Finals.

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The No. 1 fandom overall was Marvel, with Beyonce the No. 1 celebrity, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes the top sports figure, the U.S. Women’s National Team tops in soccer, Game of Thrones No. 1 in TV, BTS claiming the top spot in music, the New York Yankees top-ranked in Major League Baseball, the Dallas Cowboys No. 1 in the NFL, the Clemson Tigers No. 1 in college sports, the St. Louis Blues tops in the NHL and Minecraft the top gaming title.