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It’s easy to fall for the lure of a LeBron James Nike endorsement when you’re 10 years old.
“Mom, please can I get the new LeBrons? They’re only $250 and they ought to fit me for at least five months.” Needless to say, as one gets older, it’s a lot easier to get cynical towards these sort of things. This latest Nike advertisement featuring James just took it way too far. It’s a complete embarrassment to the NBA, and the game of basketball as a whole.
The most disheartening thing about it isn’t even the content of the commercial. It’s the fact that just four years ago Nike released an endorsement ad featuring James titled, “What Should I Do?” The content of that commercial was naturally quite different given the circumstances.
Fans of Cleveland were pretty clearly disregarded following Dan Gilbert‘s letter and the whole, you know, burning of the jerseys thing. Shockingly, Nike does not have their older commercial with James available on their YouTube Channel. It certainly wouldn’t conflict with the content of the most recent ad, would it?
Oh how quickly we forget. Now the entire community of Akron, Ohio is so uplifted by James’ return that they’re entering team huddles. “We’re in this together Akron!” This was quite overly dramatic, even for the standards of a Nike ad. Have Cleveland Cavaliers fans forgotten that James will be a free agent in two seasons? He probably has a shoot for his next commercial already penciled in around that time.
If fans have an opportunity to get up during the commercial breaks of tonight’s coverage, that chance needs to be capitalized. Because those two minutes and fifteen seconds are something they’ll never get back. And it’d be surprising if the ad didn’t play at least five times before the conclusion of the game.
Maybe Cleveland Cavaliers’ fans will run onto the court and hug James just as they do in the ad. And after they get tackled by security, they can sue Nike! The “do not attempt,” text in tiny white print is nowhere to be found in the commercial, and it’s hard to put that thought process past Cavs fans. Seriously, wouldn’t that be hilarious?
All satire cynicism aside, this commercial is literally ridiculous. If Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain were both in their prime and were scientifically mutated into one person, even that player wouldn’t deserve this atrocious display of corporate capitalism. And yes, the commercial is ridiculous enough to draw that sort of childish comparison.
So make sure you get a hold of some ear plugs before tip off tonight so you can put them in every time this commercial airs. It’s LeBron’s homecoming, folks! The phrase, “over the top,” will soon actually bear new meaning.
Lastly, if you’re over the age of 18 and this commercial actually prompts you to buy sneakers, may God have mercy on your susceptible-Nike-swooshed soul. Welcome home, Mr. James.
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