What if there were a retirement community made up of only NBA legends? Now add to that a laundry list of current stars, mascots, and Michael B. Jordan, and you start to get a picture of the league’s epic new ad to launch its 75th anniversary season.
Created by agency Translation, “NBA Lane” follows bus driver Jordan, touring a group of children through the NBA neighborhood. We see Dwyane Wade get the morning paper, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird becoming friendly next-door neighbors, LeBron James’s approach to gardening, Dirk Nowitzki getting skyhook lessons from Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Russell settling into the porch, and Gary Payton at his defensive best. There’s even a cameo by Nike’s Lil Penny.
https://youtu.be/t1vaembXXRE
One notable absence was the other Michael Jordan, but there were plenty of current stars to fill up the air. Carmelo Anthony, LaMelo Ball, Devin Booker, Kawhi Leonard, Donovan Mitchell, Jayson Tatum, Russell Westbrook, Zion Williamson, and Trae Young among them. It’s a giddy celebration of a sport that’s become a 365-day culture.
The concept borrows a little from the NFL’s 100th anniversary spot in 2019, in which current stars and league legends turn a banquet into a ball game. Here, the NBA takes it to the next level.
Check out the behind-the-scenes video, too:
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