With the 41st pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, the Denver Nuggets selected a future Hall of Famer. Pundits were not even familiar with his name, let alone his skillset. Though he has proven the doubters wrong over the past decade, Nikola Jokic still has a bone to pick with Taco Bell.
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The multinational food chain is inadvertently tied to the Joker’s legacy because they had purchased the time slot on Draft Night TV that saw the Serbian get drafted. Instead of showing the future three-time MVP upon his selection, the draft broadcast was showing a commercial for Taco Bell.
The Joker’s name and pick number were just displayed on the screen because it was a late second-round affair.
As he ascended into superstar status, that draft night gaffe quickly became a running joke in the league, one that Jokic seems to be in on too. In a clip from the documentary ‘Court of Gold’, the Serb quipped about his complicated relationship with the Mexican fast food brand that upstaged him on draft night.
“I think I never had a Taco Bell just because of that,” the 30-year-old expressed.
Jokic says he has never eaten Taco Bell because of draft night 🤣 https://t.co/gk6ir1vty8 pic.twitter.com/WfwRxWV2ih
— Adam Mares (@Adam_Mares) February 22, 2025
For a future Hall of Fame to not have live coverage when he’s drafted to the NBA is a rarity. But despite the jokes, Taco Bell will have no issues with their advertising as they probably got more than they bargained for.
A report from 2023 suggested that their ad spot during Jokic’s draft selection could have boosted their brand value by as much as $4.4 million. After all, fans might not remember the ‘Quesarito’ that was being promoted, but they certainly remember hearing Jokic’s name before seeing the infamous ad spot.
Hilariously, the Joker touched on the same after winning his second consecutive MVP award. “Hopefully, I’m going to have some percentage from Taco Bell,” the Denver Nuggets center quipped.
The fast food company unfortunately missed their opportunity to land Jokic’s signature in what would have been an iconic collaboration. After all, fans are familiar with the Serb’s penchant for food.
Nikola Jokic had to learn to take his diet seriously
Today, he might be one of the most durable and well-conditioned players in the game, but that certainly wasn’t the case when Joker first landed in America. He revealed that he couldn’t even hold a 20-second plank during his rookie season, and a big reason for that was his sweet tooth.
In fact, Jokic had to talk himself into giving up Coca Cola when he became an NBA player. The Serbian superstar would reportedly chug as many as 3 liters of the soda every day back in his home country. “Don’t let Coke be stronger than you,” Jokic had to tell himself when he landed in Denver.
A decade later, he has clearly won that battle. The seven-time All-Star traded in the sugary drink for high-calorie milkshakes and protein drinks, helping him achieve his potential as one of the greatest players to ever step on the hardwood.
After winning the 2023 NBA championship, the Nuggets center had earned the bragging rights to proclaim — “They didn’t believe in the fat boy. It seems like it worked out. Don’t bet against the fat boy!”
You can’t bet against the ‘fat boy’ in the generation of Tyson Fury and Nikola Jokic.
