From being the 41st pick in the NBA Draft nine years ago to winning the 2023 Finals MVP, Nikola Jokic has traveled a distance that nobody else had done before him. Not only did he bring the Denver Nuggets their first ever championship in 47 years of franchise history, Jokic also became the first NBA player picked in the second round to win a Finals MVP. His story will be exemplary for generations to come, how a man who was drafted during a Taco Bell commercial, has reached the top of the food chain in the NBA. While everyone around the Joker has benefited over the past few years due to his exploits on the hardwood, it seems like even Taco Bell made $4,400,000 because of the big Serbian’s dominance.
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The Nuggets came into Game 5 looking to take home the Larry O’Brien trophy with the series leaning 3-1 in their favor. Jimmy Butler and Co tried their best to stop them from doing so. However, a complete team performance from the Nuggets behind the Joker’s 28 points, 16 rebounds, and 4 assists, proved to be enough to get past the Heat 94-89.
Nikola Jokic has brought Taco Bell $4.4 million since 2014
According to Apex Marketing Group, since the NBA Draft night of 2014, when the Nuggets selected Nikola Jokic as the 41st pick during a Taco Bell “Quesarito” commercial, the Joker has made the fast food chain more than $4.4 million in equivalent brand value.
The clip of the ad that was running during Jokic’s draft pick went viral. This virality, in turn, boosted Taco Bell’s brand value by an estimated $4,400,000 according to Apex Marketing Group.
Jokic’s consistent performances and now outright domination of the league have done wonders for not only his own value but also for that of Taco Bell. A brand’s value is often decided by public perception, and people could not resist talking about the company after this incident.
The following tweet by Front Office Sports brought our attention to the same.
Imagine being in the place of the people who were responsible for that incident, today. There was no way for anybody to guess that the lanky 6’11 guy from Eastern Europe would one day conquer the world.
However, stealing his big moment with a commercial wouldn’t deter the Big Man from showing up to work. ESPN, who were the broadcasters of the 2014 draft, and Taco Bell, now have a hard pill to swallow after Jokic’s historic postseason run.
Jokic maintained an average of 30.2 points, 14 rebounds, and 7.2 assists on an unbelievable 55/46/80% shooting split against a relentless Heat team. And deservedly so, he won the Finals MVP after missing out on what could have been his 3rd straight regular season MVP.
How LeBron James once got the crowd chanting “Taco Tuesday”
LeBron James is a man of many talents, but one of his most well-known is his love for tacos. He has been known to post about Taco Tuesdays on social media, and he even tried to get a patent for the phrase.
In 2017, James filed a trademark application for the phrase “Taco Tuesday”. However, the application was denied by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The USPTO ruled that the phrase “Taco Tuesday” was too generic and descriptive to be trademarked.
Despite the setback, James has continued to celebrate Taco Tuesdays. He often posts pictures of himself eating tacos on social media, and he has even been known to give away free tacos to his fans.
James even got the Lakers crowd at Staples Center chanting “Taco Tuesday” during a game against the Memphis Grizzlies!
James’ love for tacos is well-documented, and it is clear that he enjoys sharing his love of tacos with his fans. Taco Tuesdays are a special day for James, and he is always looking for ways to make it even more special.
