Where Awesome Commercials Happen

I was on YouTube the other day and somehow started watching random Nike commercials. I've known this for a long time, but if there's one thing that Nike does really well, it's make commercials. Yes their products are very good too, but their commercials have helped to establish the empire that is the Swoosh. Seriously, the people on the Nike marketing team are geniuses. They could probably create a commercial for sewing and it would somehow be crazy inspiring, pump you up to sew, and then make you want to buy whatever sewing shoes they were pimping.

Anyway, in the spirit of the NBA Playoffs, I got to thinking of my favorite Nike Basketball commercials. Here's a couple of things to remember: First, I picked these commercials based on ones I had actually seen and remember well. So while there are lots of commercials from the early 90's that were extremely popular, I just plain don't remember them, so those won't be here. Second, I probably forgot some other really good ones, so feel free to let me know what an idiot I am for leaving them out.

On to the commercials...

LeBron James Chalk Commercial
We'll start off with a relatively new one. This commercial probably made you want to run out to Safeway and buy a bottle of baby powder and start doing the LeBron chalk throw in your room...or maybe that's just me. Anyway, the message of this commercial is clear: we may not be able to play basketball like LeBron, but we can sure throw chalk into the air like him.

The Freestyle Commercial
Breakdance, freestyle rap, and dribble a basketball like a crazy man. Three things I cannot do.

Lebron James "Better than me"
No, LeBron. I'm pretty sure I'd be okay with just being you.

Kobe Bryant "Love me or hate me"
This commercial pretty much epitomizes Kobe Bryant's entire career/life: people either love him or hate him. It's a very well made commercial with a strong message for everyone out there...but I still hate him.

Michael Jordan "Frozen Moments"
This commercial has always stood out in my mind when it comes to MJ spots. It's simple and gets to the point: Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player ever.

Another reason why I love this MJ commercial; it inspired this one...

Lil' Penny "Frozen Moments"
Remember Lil' Penny?! I think Lil' Penny made me love Penny Hardaway even more. And if there was one reason why I was sad about Penny Hardaway falling off his game (and off the face of the planet), it was because it meant no more Lil' Penny commercials. Anyway, this might not be the funniest Lil' Penny commercial out there, but it's still a classic.

The Second Coming
More than anything else, this commercial makes me wish I had a group of friends who were NBA stars that I could play pickup ball with. In an airplane hangar. With Juelz Santana and Just Blaze on the soundtrack in the background. So to any NBA guys who are interested, Facebook me.

The Redeem Team
Marvin Gaye singing the national anthem with images of the Redeem Team preparing for Beijing. This commercial is so silky smooth. It's also inspirational. I'm not sure whether I want to play basketball or enlist in the army after watching it. Anyway, if nothing else, this commercial asserts one thing: the USA is so ridiculously stacked with talent we should always be destroying any other country that picks up a basketball.

'Cause I'm proud to be an Americannnn, where at least I know I'm freeeeee