Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images for BIG3
The Memphis Grizzlies showed again why the NBA leads all sports in social media and sets trends in music and fashion.
The NFL may be king in popularity and TV ratings, but when it comes to fashion, music, social media, and setting trends, no league does it better than the NBA. Social media has taken over sports, and by these numbers, the NBA has taken over social media.
Maybe that’s because the NBA is part Paris fashion show (I mean, seriously, the riddler is envious of that suit )…
…and part WWE without (and sometimes with!) all the drama.
Russell Westbrook was walking into the locker room and a fan yelled, “You fuckin’ suck!” and Russ heard him and came back out and told him something along the lines of “say that to my face” and then the fan went ahead and said it to his face… pic.twitter.com/jGSUntPZdG
— NAT THE PEOPLE’S CHAMP (@habibiting) October 21, 2022
The NBA being at the forefront of fashion is no surprise. It’s been the leader in that area for a long time, but now the NBA is embracing TikTok trends and is engaged on Twitter more than any other sport.
But maybe even more than fashion, the NBA’s trendsetting is tied to the music scene. In just one example, the Houston Rockets collaborated with local rap legends like Bun B, Slim Thug, and Paul Wall on a Rocket theme song played at home games throughout last season.
No team has embraced music and the new social media-driven culture more than the Memphis Grizzlies. Everything from doing the griddy on the Timberwolves logo after a game to dancing in the middle of another game.
So it was no surprise on Thursday night to see the Grizzlies come out for their season opener like they were getting ready for a championship heavy-weight fight. In something that I guarantee will be a trend across the league in the future, the Grizzlies featured Memphis rapper NLE Choppa walking them out to the court performing one of his songs with the smoke machine and full light show going!
Judging by the reaction, fans loved it!
The NBA and its players realize that fashion, music, and social media are intertwined. However, when it comes to young fans, social media is where they consume most of their content, so if you were wondering before this article why LeBron James looked like the richest ice cream man in the world, now you know.
