(NOTE: This post is sponsored content written by the digital & social media agency Abrams Research)

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Social media sites like Facebook and Twitter are essential for athletes to interact with their fans. As the 2010-2011 NBA regular season comes to a close and conference battles heat up, we here at Abrams Research have decided to create social media All-Star teams for the East and West conferences, featuring the players who are most influential using social media.

We looked at statistics such as Facebook “likes” and Twitter followers, and we also looked at the unique strategies that each player uses to interact and engage with their fan base. Lastly, we took a look at the player’s SportsGrid.com ranks. On-court positions were not considered when creating the teams, and our list features the top five social media players (plus a sixth man) in each conference. With that said, here are the NBA’s 2010-2011 Social Media All-Stars:

Eastern Conference – Starters

Shaquille O’Neal, Boston Celtics
Twitter: 3.7+ million
Facebook: 2+ million
SportsGrid.com Rank: #68

Perhaps the most

active and popular NBA star on Twitter, Shaq has accumulated almost 3.7 million followers of his handle, “@THE_REAL_SHAQ”. Having tweeted over 3,500 times, the man is extremely active and constantly replies to fans, a practice fans love. His Facebook page isn’t too shabby either. Exclusive videos and regular posts have made his page extremely popular, garnering almost 2 million “likes”. The videos are pure Shaq, who makes them funny and engaging for his followers. His fun-loving personality is showcased in his usage of Twitter and Facebook, and has made him one of the most popular athletes on social media today.

LeBron James, Miami Heat
Twitter: 1.6+ million
Facebook: 5.5+ million
SportsGrid.com Rank: #1

The King lives up to his nickname when it comes to social media. With over 1.6 million followers of his handle “@KingJames”, his popularity on the court has carried over to his social media sites. The superstar tweets consistently about his whereabouts and activities, giving fans a sense of being “along for the ride”, so to speak. His Facebook page has garnered over 5.5 million “likes,” and thousands of fans like each of his individual posts. As soon as one enters the page, a welcome video is shown and a page featuring quotes, links to his foundation and basketball camps, and a place to sign up for exclusive content pops up. The page also features polls and photos that let fans interact

with the superstar.

Paul Pierce, Boston Celtics
Twitter: 1.8+ million
Facebook: 800,000+
SportsGrid.com Rank: #18

At the other forward spot is Paul Pierce of the Boston Celtics. Another active Twitter user, he currently ranks third among active NBA players in total number of followers on the social media site. Sporting the handle “@paulpierce34”, Paul was an early adopter on Twitter, and his passion for youth fitness is evident in his tweets, as he consistently tweets about his Truth on Health Foundation. His Facebook page has gained over 800,000 “likes” as well and includes exclusive access to interviews, photos, and videos of the Celtics star in action.

Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat
Twitter: 1+ million
Facebook: 2.1+ million
SportsGrid.com Rank: #5

Like his Miami Heat teammate LeBron James, shooting guard Dwyane Wade has an incredibly influential social media presence. Wade’s twitter handle, “@dwadeofficial”, has accumulated over a million followers with D-Wade having tweeted almost 3,000 times. His Facebook page is even more impressive. With over 2.1 million page “likes,” Wade has several unique

features that keep fans coming to his page. By pressing the like button, fans are granted access to a scheduled webcast with Dwyane. The site also has hundreds of photos and videos for fans to click through.

Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic
Twitter: 1.9+ million
Facebook: 1.2+ million
SportsGrid.com Rank: #6

Dwight Howard is a superstar when it comes to social media. His twitter handle, “@DwightHoward”, is approaching 2 million followers, and is second among current NBA players in that category to Shaq. The most compelling part of Howard’s strategy is the time he takes to tweet back at his fans. The majority of his 10,000+ tweets are directed at his fans, who appreciate the direct connection with the Magic superstar. His Facebook page is extremely interactive as well. Along with pictures and videos, the page features a music player that plays Dwight Howard covers of popular songs like “U Can’t Touch This” by MC Hammer. The page has been “liked” over 1.2 million times and is a testament to the star’s presence on Facebook.

Rajon Rondo, Boston Celtics (sixth man)
Twitter: 220k+
Facebook: 2.2+ million
SportsGrid.com Rank: #14

Celtics All-Star point guard Rajon Rondo has one of the premier Facebook pages in the NBA. With over 2.2 million “likes,” the page features a number of tabs that provide exclusive Rondo content. A Red Bull sponsored tab showcases Rondo’s dedication to charitable causes, while

another tab takes you to a Flickr slideshow of photos showing Rondo with celebrities such as Usain Bolt, Thierry Henry, and President Barack Obama. His verified twitter handle, “@rajonrondo”, has over 200,000 followers, and Rondo re-tweets fans and regularly posts his thoughts.

East players on the bubble: Derrick Rose (1.9 million Facebook), Carmelo Anthony (800k Twitter), Mario Chalmers (390k Twitter)

Western Conference- Starters

Blake Griffin, Los Angeles Clippers
Twitter: 270,000+
Facebook: 700,000+
SportsGrid.com Rank: #15

The NBA’s most explosive rookie has a social media presence to match his exciting game on the court. His Facebook page has an enormous following with almost 700,000 “likes” in the superstar’s first year. Once a fan likes the page, they gain access to exclusive Blake Griffin content like interviews, videos, and pictures. A contest was also run on the site for special edition Blake Griffin New Era hats. Yet another section features a link to a MySpace page which includes dunks, highlights, and a feature on Blake’s comedic talents. His Twitter handle “@blakegriffin” has also been effective. He has over 270,000 followers and, like Dwight Howard, constantly replies to fans via Twitter.

Lamar Odom, Los Angeles Lakers
Twitter: 1.2+ million
Facebook: 250k+
SportsGrid.com Rank: #31

Lamar Odom has done a great job of using Twitter to reach out to his fan base. With the help of his wife Khloe Kardashian and the rest of the Kardashian family, Odom has

earned over 1.2 million followers of his handle “@RealLamarOdom”. He currently ranks fifth among current NBA players in total Twitter followers. The Lakers forward tweets about his team and his life off the court, promoting endeavors such as his fragrance “Unbreakable.” His Facebook page, while less popular than his Twitter, has also been a hit with fans. With over 250,000 “likes,” the site features several photos and videos of the Lakers’ player on and off the court. The site features regular posts about Lamar and hundreds of fans “like” each individual post on the page.

Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder
Twitter: 500,000+
Facebook: 995,000+
SportsGrid.com Rank: #2

Another starter for the Western Conference is Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Kevin Durant. Durant uses a variety of social media platforms to reach out to his fans. He has an active presence on Twitter, with over 500,000 followers of his handle “@KDthunderup”. The MVP candidate consistently tweets at teammates and has hosted several Twitter contests to engage fans. His Facebook page is also impressive. The site is approaching one million “likes” and features several photos of his shoe line. The most impressive part of Durant’s social media arsenal is his website, which has a regularly updated blog and a section where fans can upload Durant-related pictures and videos.

Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers
Twitter: 0
Facebook: 7.3+ million
SportsGrid.com Rank: #3

While many NBA athletes have taken to Twitter

to reach out to their fans via social media, Kobe has focused on Facebook. The page boasts more than 7.3 million “likes” and has a variety of content for fans to interact with. It features over 1,400 photos and Kobe commercials that fans can view and comment on. It also includes access to exclusive content such as the Black Mamba video series produced by Nike featuring Kobe Bryant.

Steve Nash, Phoenix Suns
Twitter: 380,000+
Facebook: 1.2+ million
SportsGrid.com Rank: #19

Suns’ guard Steve Nash is the cream of the crop of for social media. With over 380,000 Twitter followers of the handle “@SteveNash”, Nash consistently re-tweets fans and posts behind-the-scenes pictures from the Suns season. His Facebook page is what sets him apart, however. Nash constantly updates and posts hilarious videos of Nash goofing around with his teammates. The page has attracted over 1.2 million “likes” and features links to his charity foundation among other Nash ventures, such as the Vancouver Whitecaps, the MLS team he co-owns.

Yao Ming, Houston

Rockets (sixth man)
Twitter: 45,000+
Facebook: 1.1+ million
SportsGrid.com Rank: #129

Although he has struggled with injuries the past few years, it has not kept the 7’6 Rockets center from having a strong social media presence. His Facebook page has over a million “likes” and has a variety of content for both Chinese and American fans to interact with. The page features several videos of the Chinese superstar with teammates and different endorsers. It also shows pictures of Ming at charity events and hanging out with teammates. His Twitter handle, “@YaoMing”, has over 45,000 followers as well.

West players on the bubble: Manu Ginobli (500k Twitter), Chris Paul (300k Twitter), Pau Gasol (1.9 Million Facebook)

Totals & Match-up Winner

Eastern Conference
Twitter: 10.2+ million
Facebook: 13.8+ million

Western Conference
Twitter: 2.5+ million
Facebook: 11.5+ million

So who would win this hypothetical social media All-Star Game? The answer is the Eastern Conference, and it wasn’t even close. Of their five starters, four players rank in the top 5 in total number of Twitter followers in the NBA. Beyond their simple statistics, however, the East players have a better all-around social media presence and are much more engaging with their fans.

Fans love the playful personalities of stars like Shaquille O’Neal and Dwight Howard, and Twitter is an excellent way for fans to see and interact with an athlete’s true personality. Players like LeBron James and

Paul Pierce also have interactive Facebook pages with access to exclusive content in a medium that allows fans to discuss and share media content with their favorite players.

The Western conference does have some bright spots, however, such as Kobe’s “Black Mamba” video series on his Facebook page and Blake Griffin’s use of Twitter, Facebook, and Myspace. However, the Eastern conference social media all stars have done a much better job utilizing a variety of social media platforms to reach their fans. Each player in the East has a regularly updated Facebook and Twitter page, while the West’s biggest superstar, Kobe Bryant, doesn’t even have a Twitter. For these reasons, the Eastern Conference is our social media All-Star Game champion.

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About Abrams Research

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This post was written by Matthew Newman