LeBron James Snags Top-Selling Jersey Spot from Kobe Bryant

In a year filled with much hate since LeBron James took his talents to South Beach and the Miami Heat, there are some numbers coming out suggesting the self-proclaimed King may not be as disliked outside of Miami as it may seem.

For the first time in his career, James' jersey has topped the chart as the best-selling jersey. Kobe Bryant—who has held the title as king of jersey sales since the 2008-09 season—fell to the No. 2 spot, according to a USA Today report.

Sure, whenever a player changes teams, or numbers, for that matter, their jersey sales will see a spike. Given that James left Cleveland in the dust, and seemingly his popularity, it comes to show that one's game is all that matters in the long run.

King James is currently in the mix for MVP yet again. Chicago Bull Derrick Rose is largely the media favorite for MVP and saw his jersey become the fifth-best seller.

James has let his game do the talking after his disastrous The Decision hurt his image.

In all, it is just the changing of the guard. As Kobe's career is set to go into its twilight years, LeBron is primed and ready to take over as the league's most recognized player.

LeBron's jersey taking over the top spot shows us that no matter how poorly a superstar handles a very public decision, the ultimate statement is always made on the court.