The NBA Dancers are one of our favorite cheerleaders to follow, not just on television but also on social media. As we laid it out for you last year in the first edition of this post, NBA Dancers are incredibly well-connected to their fan base–probably more so than entire teams in other leagues. The dancers are the ones launching t-shirts into the stands, meeting fans in the stadium, or keeping you in your seats during timeouts and halftime with their dancing.
But with the rise of social media, being a dancer is much more than just shaking hands at the arena or your tailfeather on the floor. Now it’s about connecting with your fans 24/7. Now it’s about trying to create a viral video that’s going to get shared eleventy-billion times. And obviously there’s no better place to do those things than on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
All the NBA Dance teams are getting it done on the floor and in the looks department–that’s not up for debate–but there are some teams that are embracing social media more than others. And this is (in our opinion) the be-all and end-all power rankings of which teams are using social media better than others.
#30: Golden State Warriors Dancers
The Golden State Warriors Dance Team currently have a Twitter account sitting at around 5,000 followers. The ladies are absolutely gorgeous, so it stands to reason that if they published as often as their team won games they’d be one of the best in the business. Unfortunately we’re not there yet.
Twitter likes: 5K
Follow them on Twitter (@GSWDanceTeam)
Rank last year: #18
Pros: I think the Splash Brothers is the best nickname in basketball
Cons: That nickname has nothing to do with the dance team, they have no social media presence
#29: Charlotte Honey Bees
I’m not really sure what happened to the Lady Cats, but one of the best looking dance teams in the NBA now has zero presence on social media. They used to have a Twitter account last year, but now it’s run by some Russian band or something.
Update: OK there was a bit of confusion on our end, as the women formerly known as the Lady Cats are now the Honey Bees. You can find them at the links below:
Facebook likes: 5K
Follow them on Facebook
Twitter likes: 10K
Follow them on Twitter (@TheHoneyBees)
Instagram likes: 12K
Follow them on Instagram (@thehoneybees)
Rank last year: #10
Pros: They still have a dance team
Cons: No social media presence, zilch, zero
#28: New Orleans Pelicans Dancers
It’s now two years into the Pelicans name and they haven’t claimed any new pages for their dance teams. Get it together, yo.
Rank last year: #30
Pros: They don’t wear Anthony Davis unibrows while dancing
Cons: Everything
#27: Boston Celtics Dancers
The Celtics are in a bit of a rebuilding phase right now, but it still blows our collective mind why one of the most storied franchises in the NBA doesn’t have a bigger presence when it comes to their dance team.
Facebook likes: 30,104
Follow them on Facebook
Twitter likes: 8,793
Follow them on Twitter (@CelticsDancer)
Rank last year: #19
Pros: They have social media accounts…
Cons: …that haven’t updated their pages since last August
#26: Memphis Grizz Girls
The Memphis Grizzlies have really started to run with the whole “Grindhouse” shtick, we’re guessing partly because you can’t have a true grindhouse flick without attractive women (played by the Grizz Girls). And while their team is made up of some of the best looking women in all of Tennessee, you’d never know it because they don’t update their Facebook page enough. And their Twitter might as well be defunct with the last Tweet coming in September of 2012.
Facebook likes: 1,028
Follow them on Facebook
Twitter likes: 917
Follow them on Twitter(@GrizzGirls)
Rank last year: #27
Pros: There’s a dance team in Memphis
Cons: No IG, Twitter’s virtually nonexistent, most recent photo on Facebook was taken with a potato.
#25: Orlando Magic Dancers
What we said last year still holds true in the 2014-2015 season. The Magic Dancers aren’t lacking talent on the court (they’re in Florida, after all) it’s just that they’re missing out on big opportunities by having a weak Twitter following with nothing else.
Facebook likes: 1,338
Follow them on Facebook
Twitter likes: 7,322
Follow them on Twitter (@MagicDancers)
Rank last year: 24
Pros: Twitter is decent
Cons: No Instagram, Facebook page hasn’t been updated since 2010
#24: Atlanta Hawks Cheerleaders
Relying solely on Twitter to connect with your fans is an OK strategy if you do a great job of doing that. Unfortunately, that’s not the case this early in the season. Atlanta is hoping for a shot at making the Playoffs this year and getting the home crowd more excited about things is a good way of doing that.
Twitter likes: 5,273
Follow them on Twitter (@ATLHawksCheer)
Rank last year: #25
Pros: We’re pretty sure this cheerleader is still a member of the organization.
Cons: Not much fan interaction, no Instagram or Facebook pages
#23: Chicago Luvabulls
The Bulls are one of the most improved teams in the NBA with their offseason moves, but the one area they forgot to make better is the social media squad for their dancers. The potential for the Luvabulls is huge considering how popular the sport is in Chicago.
Facebook likes: 136,782
Follow them on Facebook
Twitter likes: 837
Follow them on Twitter (@TheLuvaBulls)
Instagram likes: 14K
Follow them on Instagram (@ChicagoLuvabulls)
Rank last year: #26
Pros: Great dancers, their Facebook page receives decent attention, same with Instagram
Cons: Twitter is from 2011
#22: 76ers Dream Team
We said it before and we’ll say it again, when you’ve got a team named the “Dream Team,” you better be bringing the heat. Thankfully they’ve improved since this time last year (unlike the actual 76ers) but there’s still a lot more room to grow.
Facebook likes: 4,641
Follow them on Facebook
Twitter likes: 4,862
Follow them on Twitter (@Sixes_Dancers)
Instagram likes: 914
Follow them on Instagram (@Sixers_Dancers)
Rank last year: #23
Pros: Added an Instagram page
Cons: Facebook needs a little love
#21: Utah Jazz Dancers
The Jazz Dancers have certainly improved since last year, but just one photo on game day isn’t really enough in today’s world of connectivity.
Facebook likes: 2,240
Follow them on Facebook
Instagram likes: 1,909
Follow them on Instagram (@UtahJazzDancers)
Rank last year: #29
Pros: Good Instagram page, improved since last year
Cons: No IG, Facebook hasn’t been updated in 2+ years
#20: Washington Wizards Girls
The Wizards made a good run into the Playoffs with their team last year, so expect the Wizard Girls to give it their all now that they’ve got a taste of the postseason. These women are trying their hardest to keep the crowd excited about the first good basketball team in DC in awhile.
Facebook likes: 5,070
Follow them on Facebook
Twitter likes: 2,748
Follow them on Twitter (@WizardGirlsNBA)
Instagram likes: 2,180
Follow them on Instagram (@WizardGirlsNBA)
Rank last year: #20
Pros: Their social media reach is improving
Cons: Still not regular enough
#19: Cleveland Cavalier Girls
There hasn’t been a rebirth of a town in sports like what Cleveland experienced this summer. So why haven’t the Cavaliers Girls taken advantage of that with an Instagram page?
Facebook likes: 5,689
Follow them on Facebook
Twitter likes: 3,828
Follow them on Twitter (@CavalierGirls)
Rank last year: #18
Pros: More people will be watching the Cavalier Girls than ever before
Cons: Not on Instagram
#18: Minnesota Timberwolves Dancers
The Wolves might have lost K-Love, but they’re a very young team with a lot to look forward to in the future. If you’re more interested in the dancers than in the players, though, stop looking in a crystal ball and check out their Twitter page which has a lot of updates and original photos.
Facebook likes: 6,939
Follow them on Facebook
Twitter likes: 1,913
Follow them on Twitter (@WolvesDancers)
Instagram likes: 441
Follow them on Instagram (@WolvesDancers)
Rank last year: #17
Pros: Lots of original content, added IG account
#17: Denver Nuggets Dancers
Truthfully the Nuggets have gotten off to a slow start, so we get that there’s not that much to dance and celebrate about, but still! Please give us something to talk about or watch.
Facebook likes: 10,927
Follow them on Facebook
Twitter likes: 2,148
Follow them on Twitter @NuggetsDancers)
Rank last year: #15
Pros: Beautiful women, great calendar
Cons: Tell us about something other than that calendar
#16: Indiana Pacemates
I think it’s a safe bet to say that the Pacers will be tanking this season. However, that kind of attitude shouldn’t really extend to the Pacemates who haven’t really done a good job of maintaining their social pages. You’d think that the Pacers would do whatever they could to make sure fans knew their team cared.
Facebook likes: 7,858
Follow them on Facebook
Twitter likes: 4,061
Follow them on Twitter (@Pacemates)
Instagram likes: 2,253
Follow them on Instagram (@Pacemates)
Rank last year: #9
Pros: They’ve got a solid following on Twitter, IG, and Facebook
Cons: They’re not doing enough with those numbers
#15: San Antonio Spurs Silver Dancers
The San Antonio Spurs Dancers’s social media game has improved a lot since last season, and while they’ve certainly got a lot more trophy selfies to take in the 2014-2015 season, it’s nice to see that they’ve taken to working on every aspect of their game.
Twitter likes: 3,950
Follow them on Twitter (@SilverDancers)
Instagram likes: 7,090
Follow them on Instagram (@SpursSilverDancers)
Rank last year: #28
Pros: New Instagram page is well-maintained
Cons: No Facebook page
#14: Dallas Mavs Dancers
It’s not an easy thing to improve an already good thing, but that’s exactly what’s happened with the Dallas Mavs Dancers. Mark Cuban must run a tight, tight, ship.
Facebook likes: 20,522
Follow them on Facebook
Twitter likes: 8,363
Follow them on Twitter (@MavsDancers)
Instagram likes: 5,275
Follow them on Instagram (@MavsDancers)
Rank last year: #14
Pros: Presence on the big three sites
Cons: Facebook isn’t updated as frequently as the other social media channels
#13: Houston Rockets Power Dancers
The Rockets are continuing their dominance of Facebook and even added an Instagram account into the mix. Now if only they could find a way to tell Dwight Howard to stop hitting on them.
Facebook likes: 13,614
Follow them on Facebook
Twitter likes: 3,518
Follow them on Twitter (@OfficialRPD)
Instagram likes: 840
Follow them on Instagram (@OfficialRPD)
Rank last year: #12
Pros: Great Facebook, represented well on all three social media sites
Cons: None worth talking about
#12: Sacramento Kings Dancers
The Kings Dancers have stayed on top of their social media game since last year, but unfortunately so have a lot of other teams. That’s the reason they’ve dropped a few spots.
Facebook likes: 11,447
Follow them on Facebook
Twitter likes: 4,614
Follow them on Twitter (@Kings_Dancers)
Instagram likes: 4,148
Follow them on Instagram (@Kings_Dancers)
Rank last year: #8
Pros: Good presence on Instagram
Cons: Nothing bad jumps out
#11: LA Clippers Spirit Dance Team
New ownership has injected new life into pretty much every aspect of the Clippers franchise, except the actual basketball team. That being said, we’re very happy with what we see from the Clippers Spirit Team on social media. I guess it’s hard not to update your fans when everyone’s touting the newest Microsoft gear.
Facebook likes: 8,134
Follow them on Facebook
Twitter likes: 5,183
Follow them on Twitter (@SpiritDanceTeam)
Instagram likes: 9,374
Follow them on Instagram (@LAClippersSpirit)
Rank last year: #6
Pros: Still one of the best Facebook pages in the league
Cons: Not a huge amount of fan interaction
#10: NY Knicks City Dancers
The Knicks City Dancers are one of the top and most historic dance teams in the league, and while we’d love for our home squad to land in the Top 5 we can’t complain that they’re as high as they are. James Dolan wanted to “rebind” the KCD last year and while we don’t see very much that’s different, we do like what we see.
Facebook likes: 31,443
Follow them onFacebook
Follow them on Twitter (@NYKCityDancers)
Instagram likes: 7,495
Follow them on (@KnicksCityDancers)
Rank last year: #13
Pros: Added an Instagram account
Cons: Not enough interaction with fans
#9: Detroit Pistons Dancers
Deeeetroit Basketball hasn’t really meant a lot to people lately, but even in the dark ages following Chauncey BIllups x Rip Hamilton, the Pistons Dancers have been holding it down for the Motor City.
Facebook likes: 10,621
Follow them on Facebook
Twitter likes: 902
Follow them on Twitter (@PistonsDancers)
Instagram likes: 2,513
Follow them on Instagram (@DetroitPistonsDancers)
Rank last year: #11
Pros: Constant updates, all-around great content
Cons: None
#8: Miami Heat Dancers
The Heat dancers don’t need a self-proclaimed “King” to remind fans why Miami is one of the hottest cities in America. D-Wade and Bosh have surprised fans with their success thus far, but no one is surprised that the Heat Dancers have stayed in the spotlight. They’ve won the award for the “NBA’s Most Popular Dancers” 4 times for a reason.
Twitter likes: 14.6K
Follow them on Twitter (@MiamiHeatDancer)
Instagram likes: 30K
Follow them on Instagram (@MiamiHeatDancers)
Rank last year: #17
Pros: NBA’s most popular dancers four times, Instagram page hotter than South Beach
Cons: No Facebook page, no Lebron
#7: Milwaukee Bucks Dancers
The Bucks dancers have been a shining light in Milwaukee the past couple of years and in 2015 it doesn’t look like things are going to be any different. No surprise here that the Bucks Dancers are as high as #7 on the list. Keep doing you, ladies.
Facebook likes: 4,277
Follow them on Facebook
Twitter likes: 3,707
Follow them on Twitter (@BucksDancers)
Instagram likes: 3,851
Follow them on Instagram (@BucksDancers)
Rank last year: #4
Pros: Great example for how dance teams can use social media
Cons: Why is no one following them?
#6: Portland Trail Blazer Dancers
Facebook galleries from most home games, plus a very solid effort on social media put the Blazer Dancers at the forefront of the competition. It certainly helps to have a Dance Director like Michelle Burch in your corner.
Facebook likes: 7,097
Follow them on Facebook
Twitter likes: 1,463
Follow them on Twitter (@BlazerDancers)
Instagram likes: 5,069
Follow them on Instagram (@BlazerDancers)
Rank last year: #7
Pros: Represented on all three social media channels, lots of original content
Cons: None
#5: OKC Thunder Girls
The Oklahoma City Thunder are being put to the test right now without both Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant, but the Thunder Girls have stepped up and kept the home court advantage alive.
Facebook likes: 61,617
Follow them on Facebook
Twitter likes: 11.8K
Follow them on Twitter (@ThunderGirls)
Instagram likes: 15.2K
Follow them on Instagram (@OKCThunderGirls)
Rank last year: #2
Pros: Updated frequently, represented on all three social sites
Cons: They stopped their blog (update: we were alerted by the dancers that they’ve since consolidated their blog to WeAreThunder.com), not as many updates as other top dance teams
#4: Brooklyn Brooklynettes
The Brooklynettes are one of our favorite things about the re-branded Nets, mostly because it seems like they’re a lot more involved in the community than other dance squads.
Facebook likes: 60,418
Follow them on Facebook
Twitter likes: 4,401
Follow them on Twitter (@Brooklynettes)
Rank last year: #5
Pros: Maybe the strongest Facebook account among NBA Dancers
Cons: No Instagram account
#3: Toronto Raptors Dance Pak
The Raptors took almost everyone by surprise last year–except for those following The Pak on social media. The fact that they’re executing on all cylinders has got even us proclaiming #WeTheNorth
Facebook likes: 2,576
Follow them on Facebook
Twitter likes: 2,464
Follow them on Twitter (@RaptorsDancePak)
Instagram likes: 3,894
Follow them on Instagram (@RaptorsDancePak)
Rank last year: #3
Pros: Best variety of content
Cons: None
#2: Phoenix Suns Dancers
The Suns were one of the most improved teams in the Western conference last year and it looks like some of the rubbed off on the Suns Dancers. They were always one of the better looking dance teams in the NBA, and now they’ve got the social support to prove it.
Facebook likes: 10,839
Follow them on Facebook
Twitter likes: 10.1K
Follow them on Twitter (@SunsDancers)
Instagram likes: 5,765
Follow them on Instagram (@SunsDancers)
Rank last year: #16
Pros: New Instagram photos pretty much every day
Cons: Still criminally underfollowed but that should be changing soon.
#1: Los Angeles Laker Girls
Once again, the Laker Girls come through as the #1 group of NBA Dancers on social media. They’re still without a Facebook page, but when you go above and beyond on both Twitter and Instagram, who needs FB?
Twitter likes: 47.3K
Follow them on Twitter (@LakerGirls)
Instagram likes: 18K
Follow them on Instagram (@LakerGirls)
Rank last year: #1
Pros: Best Twitter account to follow among NBA Dancers, IG game is tight
Cons: No Facebook, haven’t flown me out to sit courtside with them
