Sports Biz with Darren Rovell

Top 10 Best-Selling College Basketball Jerseys

Top 10 Best-Selling College Basketball Jerseys

The NCAA makes it a taboo subject because players don’t get paid royalties for their jerseys. Their excuse? The players’ names are not on the back. But every year, schools give manufacturers specific numbers that correlate to the best players on their team. So we went to the folks at Fanatics, the leading retailer of college merchandise online, and asked them what schools with what numbers sold best this year.

The NCAA makes it a taboo subject because players don’t get paid royalties for their jerseys. Their excuse? The players’ names are not on the back. But every year, schools give manufacturers specific numbers that correlate to the best players on their team. So we went to the folks at Fanatics, the leading retailer of college merchandise online, and asked them what schools with what numbers sold best this season. Read ahead to see them.

By Darren RovellPosted 14 March 2012

10. Mason Plumlee, Duke #5

The 6-foot-10 junior forward is averaging 10.9 points and 9.1 rebounds per game this season. He is one of two Blue Devils on the top 10 best-selling jersey list.
Photo: Scott Cunningham | Getty Images Sport

The 6-foot-10 junior forward is averaging 10.9 points and 9.1 rebounds per game this season. He is one of two Blue Devils on the top 10 best-selling jersey list.

9. Kenny Boynton, Florida #1

The junior guard is the go-to-guy for the Gators. He has been averaging 16.3 points per game this season. Boynton is the only player on this list whose team is not ranked in the top 10.
Photo: Joel Auerbach | Getty Images Sport

The junior guard is the go-to-guy for the Gators. He has been averaging 16.3 points per game this season. Boynton is the only player on this list whose team is not ranked in the top 10.

8. Kendall Marshall, North Carolina #5

Tarheel fans love their basketball and if you are a starter like Marshall is, you have a good chance of being on this list. Having the number of former tournament MVP Ty Lawson doesn’t hurt either.
Photo: Lance King | Getty Images Sport

Tarheel fans love their basketball and if you are a starter like Marshall, you have a good chance of being on this list. Having the number of former tournament MVP Ty Lawson doesn’t hurt either.

7. Tyler Zeller, North Carolina, #44

Although he’s a senior, buying the 7-footer’s jersey has turned out to be a good investment. The ACC Player of the Year proved last year that he steps up come tourney time.
Photo: Scott Cunningham | Getty Images Sport

Although he’s a senior, buying the 7-footer’s jersey has turned out to be a good investment. The ACC Player of the Year proved last year that he steps up when it's tourney time.

6. Scoop Jardine, Syracuse, #11

The 6-2 senior is a key player on #1 seeded Syracuse Orange. Jardine will likely have to pick up his 8.3 points per game average with center Fab Melo declared ineligible for the tournament.
Photo: Jim McIsaac | Getty Images Sport

The 6-foot-2 senior is a key player for the #1 seed Syracuse Orange. Jardine will likely have to pick up his 8.3 points per game average with center Fab Melo declared ineligible for the tournament.

5. Draymond Green, Michigan State #23

The 6-7 senior forward has been a lifer at Michigan State. The team’s elder statesman is having his best year yet for the Spartans, who won a share of the Big Ten regular season title and beat Ohio State to win the Big Ten Tournament.
Photo: Getty Images

The 6-foot-7 senior forward has been a lifer at Michigan State. The team’s elder statesman is having his best year yet for the Spartans, who won a share of the Big Ten regular season title and beat Ohio State to win the Big Ten Tournament.

4. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Kentucky #14

As far as investments go, buying a jersey of one of John Calipari’s one-and-done freshman jerseys isn’t the best move, though Calipari has done well with this strategy since the NBA imposed its 19-year-old age minimum.
Photo: Getty Images

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is likely going to be one of John Calipari’s one-and-done freshman. Coming out of high school as the top small forward in the nation, he has lived up to the hype and Kentucky fans undoubtedly ran to get his jersey after he scored 24 points and ripped down 19 rebounds in one of the most important wins of the year against in-state rival Louisville.

3. Seth Curry, Duke #30

The son of Dell Curry and the brother of Golden State Warriors guard Stephon Curry transferred to Duke from Liberty in 2009. The junior guard has been good for 10 points a game over the last two seasons.
Photo: Getty Images

The son of former NBA player Dell Curry and the brother of Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry transferred to Duke from Liberty in 2009. The junior guard has been good for 10 points a game over the last two seasons.

2. Anthony Davis, Kentucky #23

Davis, a 6-10 freshman forward, isn’t just a scoring machine. He has an absurd 154 blocks this season, which is more than 37 teams in Division I basketball. With his name likely to be called as the first pick in the June NBA Draft, Davis is gone but maybe not before he picks up a
Photo: Getty Images

Davis, a 6-foot-10 freshman forward, isn’t just a scoring machine. He has an absurd 154 blocks this season, which is more than 37 teams in Division I basketball. With his name likely to be called as the first pick in the June NBA Draft, Davis is gone, but maybe not before he picks up a championship ring.

1. Harrison Barnes, North Carolina, #40

The sophomore forward leads the jersey sale list and is the third player from North Carolina to make the top 10. Barnes, who could have left for the draft after his freshman season last year, is expected to leave to become one of the top picks in 2012 Draft.
Photo: Lance King | Getty Images Sport

The sophomore forward leads the jersey sale list and is the third player from North Carolina to make the top 10. Barnes, who could have left for the NBA draft after his freshman season last year, is expected to leave to become one of the top picks in the 2012 draft.