Most Followed NBA Players on Social Media in 2026
Who has the biggest following on Instagram, X and TikTok, from LeBron James to the young stars catching up. Counted from official profiles and updated monthly.
Combined followers on Instagram, X and TikTok, active players, October 31, 2026.
LeBron James is the most followed NBA player on social media, with 208.9 million followers across Instagram, X and TikTok combined, and he is also the most followed NBA player on Instagram with 153.6 million. Below you'll find the full top 10 across all platforms, a separate Instagram ranking, a LeBron James breakdown, profiles of every player, and the young players worth following.
Last updated: October 31, 2026. Every number was read from the player's official profile on that date and rounded to one decimal in millions. "Total" adds Instagram, X and TikTok; "—" means we found no verified official account. The ranking covers active players only.
Top 10 most followed NBA players (all platforms)
Instagram is where NBA stars build the biggest audiences, so it drives most of this ranking, but X still adds tens of millions for the league's veterans. LeBron James has about 2.3 times the combined following of Stephen Curry in second place, and the top 10 together add up to 462.1 million followers.
| # | Player | Team | X | TikTok | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LeBron James | Philadelphia 76ers | 153.6M | 55.3M | — | 208.9M |
| 2 | Stephen Curry | Golden State Warriors | 56.9M | 24.6M | 9.1M | 90.6M |
| 3 | Kevin Durant | Houston Rockets | 13.4M | 26.8M | — | 40.2M |
| 4 | Giannis Antetokounmpo | Miami Heat | 16.1M | 3.4M | 6.3M | 25.8M |
| 5 | Kyrie Irving | Dallas Mavericks | 19.8M | 4.4M | 1.4M | 25.6M |
| 6 | James Harden | Cleveland Cavaliers | 11.8M | 7.3M | 0.6M | 19.7M |
| 7 | Luka Dončić | Los Angeles Lakers | 10.8M | — | 2.8M | 13.6M |
| 8 | Bronny James | Los Angeles Lakers | 7.4M | — | 6.0M | 13.4M |
| 9 | Ja Morant | Portland Trail Blazers | 9.3M | 3.0M | — | 12.3M |
| 10 | LaMelo Ball | Minnesota Timberwolves | 10.7M | 1.0M | 0.4M | 12.1M |
Platform by platform: Instagram is led by LeBron James (153.6 million); X is led by LeBron James (55.3 million); TikTok is led by Stephen Curry (9.1 million). 12 of the 21 active players we track have no verified TikTok account we could find, which is why that column is the thinnest.
Most followed NBA players on Instagram
If you only care about Instagram, here are the NBA players with the most Instagram followers right now. LeBron James sits at No. 1 with 153.6 million, followed by Stephen Curry (56.9 million) and Kyrie Irving (19.8 million). To crack this Instagram top 10 you currently need 9.3 million followers, the number held by Ja Morant at No. 10. Handles link to the official, verified accounts.
| # | Player | Team | Instagram handle | Instagram followers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LeBron James | Philadelphia 76ers | @kingjames | 153.6M |
| 2 | Stephen Curry | Golden State Warriors | @stephencurry30 | 56.9M |
| 3 | Kyrie Irving | Dallas Mavericks | @kyrieirving | 19.8M |
| 4 | Giannis Antetokounmpo | Miami Heat | @giannis_an34 | 16.1M |
| 5 | Kevin Durant | Houston Rockets | @easymoneysniper | 13.4M |
| 6 | James Harden | Cleveland Cavaliers | @jharden13 | 11.8M |
| 7 | Luka Dončić | Los Angeles Lakers | @lukadoncic | 10.8M |
| 8 | LaMelo Ball | Minnesota Timberwolves | @melo | 10.7M |
| 9 | Jimmy Butler | Golden State Warriors | @jimmybutler | 9.8M |
| 10 | Ja Morant | Portland Trail Blazers | @jamorant | 9.3M |
How many followers does LeBron James have?
LeBron James has 208.9 million social media followers across Instagram, X and TikTok, including 153.6 million Instagram followers on @kingjames. That makes "King James" the most followed NBA player by a wide margin, with about 2.3 times Stephen Curry's total.
| Platform | Account | Followers |
|---|---|---|
| @kingjames | 153.6M | |
| X | @KingJames | 55.3M |
| TikTok | — | — |
| Total | 208.9M |
How does that compare outside basketball? Among the global athletes we checked on the same day, Cristiano Ronaldo (soccer) has 679.8 million, Lionel Messi (soccer) has 517.7 million and Virat Kohli (cricket) has 270.9 million on Instagram. That puts LeBron behind Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Virat Kohli, and far ahead of every other NBA player.
His audience has followed him through four franchises, and his move to Philadelphia this season (more on that in our LeBron James 76ers debut story) means his posts now reach Sixers fans too. With up to 450 NBA roster spots (see how many NBA players there are), no one else comes close to his reach.
Player profiles: the top 10
1. LeBron James, Philadelphia 76ers
Accounts: Instagram @kingjames (153.6M), X @KingJames (55.3M). Total: 208.9M, or 45% of all followers in this top 10.
The NBA's all-time leading scorer is in his 24th season, his first with Philadelphia, after four championships and four MVP awards.
2. Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
Accounts: Instagram @stephencurry30 (56.9M), X @StephenCurry30 (24.6M), TikTok @stephencurry30 (9.1M). Total: 90.6M, or 20% of all followers in this top 10.
The NBA's all-time leader in made three-pointers has four championships and two MVPs, including the league's only unanimous MVP in 2016.
3. Kevin Durant, Houston Rockets
Accounts: Instagram @easymoneysniper (13.4M), X @KDTrey5 (26.8M). Total: 40.2M, or 9% of all followers in this top 10.
A two-time champion and two-time Finals MVP, Durant won the 2014 MVP and is the only player with four Olympic gold medals in men's basketball.
4. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Miami Heat
Accounts: Instagram @giannis_an34 (16.1M), X @Giannis_An34 (3.4M), TikTok @giannis_an34 (6.3M). Total: 25.8M, or 6% of all followers in this top 10.
The two-time MVP and 2021 Finals MVP was traded from Milwaukee to Miami this offseason, ending 13 seasons with the Bucks.
5. Kyrie Irving, Dallas Mavericks
Accounts: Instagram @kyrieirving (19.8M), X @KyrieIrving (4.4M), TikTok @kyrieirving (1.4M). Total: 25.6M, or 6% of all followers in this top 10.
Irving hit the go-ahead three in Game 7 of the 2016 Finals, delivering Cleveland's only championship alongside LeBron James.
6. James Harden, Cleveland Cavaliers
Accounts: Instagram @jharden13 (11.8M), X @JHarden13 (7.3M), TikTok @jharden13 (0.6M). Total: 19.7M, or 4% of all followers in this top 10.
The 2018 MVP has won three scoring titles and sits among the top players all time in made three-pointers.
7. Luka Dončić, Los Angeles Lakers
Accounts: Instagram @lukadoncic (10.8M), TikTok @lukadoncic (2.8M). Total: 13.6M, or 3% of all followers in this top 10.
The six-time All-Star led the NBA in scoring last season and is now the face of the Lakers.
8. Bronny James, Los Angeles Lakers
Accounts: Instagram @bronny (7.4M), TikTok @bronny (6.0M). Total: 13.4M, or 3% of all followers in this top 10.
In October 2024, Bronny and LeBron became the first father and son to play together in an NBA game.
9. Ja Morant, Portland Trail Blazers
Accounts: Instagram @jamorant (9.3M), X @JaMorant (3.0M). Total: 12.3M, or 3% of all followers in this top 10.
Morant was the 2020 Rookie of the Year and the 2022 Most Improved Player.
10. LaMelo Ball, Minnesota Timberwolves
Accounts: Instagram @melo (10.7M), X @MELOD1P (1.0M), TikTok @melo (0.4M). Total: 12.1M, or 3% of all followers in this top 10.
The 2021 Rookie of the Year built an online following in high school and now plays for Minnesota.
Young NBA players to follow on social media
The next wave of NBA stars is already building big audiences. These are the most followed players aged 25 or under (ages as of October 31, 2026), ranked by combined followers. Bronny James leads the group with 13.4 million. Their numbers are still a fraction of LeBron's, but these are the accounts most likely to define the next generation of NBA social media.
| Player | Team | Age | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bronny James | Los Angeles Lakers | 22 | 7.4M | 13.4M |
| LaMelo Ball | Minnesota Timberwolves | 25 | 10.7M | 12.1M |
| Victor Wembanyama | San Antonio Spurs | 22 | 6.3M | 8.0M |
| Anthony Edwards | Minnesota Timberwolves | 25 | 5.6M | 7.1M |
| Cooper Flagg | Dallas Mavericks | 19 | 1.9M | 1.9M |
| Chet Holmgren | Oklahoma City Thunder | 24 | 0.9M | 1.3M |
| Paolo Banchero | Orlando Magic | 23 | 1.1M | 1.2M |
| Cade Cunningham | Detroit Pistons | 25 | 1.1M | 1.1M |
- Bronny James (@bronny): In October 2024, Bronny and LeBron became the first father and son to play together in an NBA game.
- LaMelo Ball (@melo): The 2021 Rookie of the Year built an online following in high school and now plays for Minnesota.
- Victor Wembanyama (@wemby): The 2023 No. 1 pick and 2024 Rookie of the Year is listed at 7'5", the tallest active player in the league.
- Anthony Edwards (@theanthonyedwards_): Edwards won Olympic gold in 2024 and is recovering from knee surgery to start this season.
- Cooper Flagg (@cooper_flagg): The No. 1 pick in the 2025 draft went to Dallas after one season at Duke.
- Chet Holmgren (@chet_holmgren): Holmgren won the 2025 title with Oklahoma City and is currently sidelined with a knee injury.
- Paolo Banchero (@paolo5): The 2022 No. 1 pick was the 2023 Rookie of the Year.
- Cade Cunningham (@cadecunn1ngham): The 2021 No. 1 pick made his first All-Star team in 2025.
Fastest-growing NBA accounts
This is the first edition of this ranking, so October 31, 2026 is our baseline. Each monthly update will compare every account against the previous month, and this section will show who gained the most followers.
Retired players (not ranked): Shaquille O'Neal has 64.4M combined followers (35.1M on Instagram); Russell Westbrook has 28.0M combined followers (21.8M on Instagram); Dwyane Wade has 27.2M combined followers (18.8M on Instagram).
Most followed NBA teams on Instagram
Teams build audiences differently from players: their accounts post every highlight, every game day and every behind-the-scenes clip, so the biggest franchises outdraw most individual players. Of the teams we checked, the Golden State Warriors lead with 31.5 million Instagram followers. For comparison, LeBron James alone has about 4.9 times the following of the most followed team.
| # | Team | Instagram handle | Followers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Golden State Warriors | @warriors | 31.5M |
| 2 | Los Angeles Lakers | @lakers | 24.4M |
| 3 | Chicago Bulls | @chicagobulls | 10.0M |
| 4 | Boston Celtics | @celtics | 8.3M |
| 5 | Miami Heat | @miamiheat | 6.6M |
FAQ
Who is the most followed NBA player?
LeBron James is the most followed NBA player, with 208.9 million followers across Instagram, X and TikTok as of October 31, 2026.
Who is the most followed active NBA player on Instagram?
LeBron James has the most Instagram followers of any active NBA player, with 153.6 million. Stephen Curry is second with 56.9 million.
What is the most followed NBA team on Instagram?
The Golden State Warriors are the most followed NBA team on Instagram, with 31.5 million followers, ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers (24.4 million).
Does LeBron James have more followers than Stephen Curry?
Yes. LeBron James has 208.9 million combined followers, compared with 90.6 million for Stephen Curry. On Instagram alone it's 153.6 million to 56.9 million.
How many Instagram followers does LeBron James have?
LeBron James has 153.6 million Instagram followers on @kingjames, as of October 31, 2026.
How we update this list
Every follower count on this page is read directly from each player's official Instagram, X and TikTok profile, never copied from other articles, and the date pulled is shown at the top. Instagram counts are exact; X and TikTok display follower counts rounded to one decimal, which is the precision we use. Facebook is not included because public pages only show large follower counts rounded to the nearest million, too coarse for a ranking like this. We refresh the numbers monthly; if you spot a change in team or a new official account, email davis.vance@nba-grid.com.
