Does LeBron James Have the Most Twitter Clout Among NBA Stars?

One of the most active and personal Web sites currently available for surfing, Twitter has allowed us to interact with our favorite athletes and celebrities.

If you haven't dealt with it before, it's basically a social networking Web site where you can send out messages, or tweets, and respond to other messages sent out. You can "follow" people, which basically means that you can observe their tweets, and people can follow you, which is essentially the same thing reversed.

The best part about Twitter is the interaction with celebrities and receiving up-to-date breaking news stories. If you want to be the first to know about a trade or anything controversial, someone on Twitter will usually send out the message before anywhere else because of how convenient is.

Following celebrities also happens to be a popular aspect of the Web site. Their messages aren't always the most interesting, but they can say some controversial stuff or leak out a signing occasionally before anyone else knows.

Let's take a look at five of our favorite NBA athletes on Twitter.

5. Jamal Crawford

Handle: @JCrossover

Followers: 79,583

If you ever want to have some sort of conversation with an NBA player, asking Jamal Crawford a question or telling him something over Twitter will usually warrant a response from the Portland Trail Blazers sixth man.

Crawford is one of the most friendly and humble people you could follow on the social networking Web site. He regularly responds to questions, will re-tweet if you're desperate enough to ask him and will always show support to his teammates and whichever team he had been traded to that week.

Even though this rough time he's going through adjusting to the Trail Blazers' system and dealing with trade rumors, Crawford has remained upbeat.

4. Tony Allen

Twitter handle: @aa000g9

Followers: 23,624

You're not following Tony Allen, yet? I'm sorry to hear that.

The 2008 NBA champion and current starting shooting guard for the Memphis Grizzlies happens to be one of the most entertaining and eccentric NBA players on Twitter.

He's not afraid at all to speak his mind and will usually answer the questions of his followers on a daily basis. He's one of the most upbeat athletes you'll follow on Twitter and he's also one of the most down to earth, talking to his followers about his preference in music and other athletics.

Don't think Allen is down to earth? Let's take a look at some of his tweets:

"

"Who enjoying this Good weather"

"S/o 2 My Barber!"

"Great day at! Work shots up! Weights!! Chopping it up with the guys!! And now its time 2 get my grub on!!"

"

Because he's low key, Allen doesn't waste his time promoting sponsors. Instead, he uses Twitter as an outlet to reach out to his fans.

3. Dwyane Wade

Handle: @dwyanewade

Followers: 2,856,120

Since LeBron James joined his Miami Heat team, Dwyane Wade has seen his followers increase by more than a million.

Funny. For someone that's also become a part of this haters' ball James has brought with him, Wade's popularity on the community-based Web site has only skyrocketed.

Wade finds himself at the center of a little controversy today after a tweet he posted during the final day to make trades:

"

"Loyalty hahahahaha"

"

This is believed to be a jab at Jarrett Jack, who sent out a tweet that lauded Dwight Howard for staying in Orlando, but also scolded the superstars who left their team in order to partner with another superstar. LeBron James, Chris Bosh, Carmelo Anthony and even Jack's own former Hornets teammate in Chris Paul are all guilty of this practice.

The Heat All-Star is an active participant on Twitter and is on it daily.

2. LeBron James

Handle: @kingjames

Followers: 3,967,286

LeBron James is an egomaniac and self-centered individual? That must explain why the background on his Twitter is a collage of his fans wearing and supporting his name.

For someone who's despised by so many, LeBron has the most Twitter followers among active NBA players and the second-most amongst NBA players, active or retired.

James updates his Twitter daily and will even take time out of his day to respond to some of his followers.

His tweets usually involve shouting out to a specific player or team, with little to no controversy involved aside from that tweet he posted up after the Cleveland Cavaliers 55-point loss to the Los Angeles Lakers last year.

1. Shaquille O'Neal

Twitter handle: @SHAQ

Followers: 5,279,475

Although no longer in the league, Shaquille O'Neal is by far the most popular NBA star on Twitter.

Logging over five million followers, O'Neal is two million followers ahead of the NBA star with the next amount of followers, who happens to be LeBron James.

O'Neal's involvement with Twitter is sporadic, but memorable whenever he is on. He's usually there to promote a sponsor or something dealing with TNT, but will sometimes take time out to respond to the questions of his devoted followers.

Shaq recently had a tweet that circulated around the web when he made a statement dealing with Dwight Howard and his upcoming trade deadline decision.

"

"Magic culture must change for Dwite to stay It's time for a change get him a guy like Brian shaw a guy that can push him he made me a winna"

"

O'Neal has been a large opponent against Howard leaving the Orlando Magic. Even though he's putting out the idea that he wants elite players to stay in their towns, instead of joining up, I believe it's more of O'Neal attempting to mend some broken bridges he left behind when he departed from Orlando.

Seems like it worked.