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Diehard fans of basketball know that social media can connect them with their favorite players, highlights of games they missed, and street games that aren’t televised. They flock to their favorite basketball influencers to get a behind-the-scenes look into athletes’ lives or get tips to help them excel in the sport themselves. 

Beyond what you’ll see on ESPN, these influencers will provide unique insights into the skills, dedication, and love for the game that make basketball a favorite sport around the globe.

Take a look at these 10 basketball influencers who keep their followers entertained, informed, and inspired with images, videos, and commentary on social.

Top 10 basketball influencers to watch

Patricia Morris

With a passion to get more women and girls into sports, Texas Christian University student-athlete Patricia is both a role model and basketball influencer. Her Instagram followers love the strong and confident photos of her in both basketball-related images and personal selfies with parents and her brother. Patricia is also an advocate for racial equity and the importance of Black women lifting one another up. Brands can work with Patricia on Shake

George Hill

With 297K followers on Instagram, George uses his platform for more than just basketball. The Milwaukee Bucks star speaks about issues such as racial justice and equality. He’s also a mentor for kids and an advocate for the importance of voting. Even despite being busy as a Buck, he hosted a back-to-school giveaway for kids in San Antonio, showing that he’s not only a great player, but a great guy. To connect with George, check out his profile on Shake.

Nikki Wheatley

Professional basketball player Nikki is the epitome of strong and healthy, as showcased in her workout photos. The former UNLV star shares game clips, images from her personal life, and exercise videos that show why she’s qualified to coach other athletes on fitness and nutrition. To work with a basketball player who manages to incorporate physical fitness into her daily routine, connect with Nikki on Shake.

Jordan Grant

When he’s not playing hoops for the South Shore Monarchs, Jordan is a certified trainer. His Instagram features highlights of him showcasing his basketball skills — from jump shots to slam dunks. But he also shares candids of himself relaxing on the beach or just spending time with friends. He’s an influencer on Shake too. 

Wesley Iwundu

Featured on the cover of Vulkan magazine in September 2021, Wes is more than an NBA star; he’s a fashion icon and influencer. His Instagram photos let you know he plays basketball for a living, but it’s his stylish ensembles that speak to his energy off the court. His “Free the Future” pop-up, a fashion collaboration with designer Eric Archibald of Diplomacy Creative, was a longtime dream. Part of the sales go toward the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston, where Wes grew up.

Tristan Jass

For some players, trash talking is half the fun of pickup games and Tristan has capitalized on this entertaining aspect. His 2.99 million YouTube fans can choose from countless basketball videos that feature Tristan smoking the competition. One fan favorite is Tristan going undercover as an elderly grandma to take on unsuspecting players at the park. There’s even a clip of him in a 3-point shootout against Steph Curry.

Kenny Chao

Kenny’s 276K subscribers love his videos, which range from tips on how to do a crossover to tips to improve your jump shot. Don’t miss the trash talking in Kenny’s one-on-one with Marcelas Howard or his Q&A with other basketball influencers on how the game of basketball has changed. Followers seem to love that his own training for skills like dribbling are taped and shared for their benefit, too.  

Nick Briz

Despite being under 6 feet tall, Nick has dazzled basketball fans in dunk competitions. Now a basketball trainer, he specializes in helping others maximize their leaping ability. He has dunked on movie stars at Snoop Dogg’s mansion and showed off his skills at Floyd Mayweather’s basketball game.

Carter Brisson

Carter might be young, but the basketball influencer has racked up 232.4K followers on TikTok for his entertaining clips and commentary. He’s covered “NBA duos we miss” and NBA players we wish were still on their old team. Sometimes he brings in his Uncle Norris to give commentary on his NBA starting five or his top NBA players of all time. His video asking fans if they’d choose $1 billion or to bring back Kobe Bryant was particularly touching.

Lucas Shapiro

Basketball coach Lucas has some great tips for players, including how to stand out at basketball tryouts and getting better on defense. There are some great clips on how to get better at shooting and getting in shape for a game, too. Lucas also does commentary on famous players, like whether LeBron is really the GOAT, and he offers detailed analysis in player studies, complete with video clips.

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