It was a simple concept for an advertisement.
A man in a gray sweatsuit removed a “77” Texas license plate off a purple sports car and replaced it with a purple “77” California license plate. “All My Ex’s Live in Texas” by George Strait played in the background.
As the car revved up, the message “Full Tank. No Mercy.” flashed on the screen in red and all caps before a red Jumpman logo appeared.
This was the Jordan Brand ad that was released hours before the Los Angeles Lakers hosted the Dallas Mavericks Tuesday night, but taking a deeper dive, it was more than just another ad. The man in the sweatsuit was presumed to be Luka Dončić, once the heartbeat of the Mavericks who was the headliner of a blockbuster trade that sent him to the Lakers on Feb. 2.
This was a Hollywood moment for the newest member of the Lakers. It was a message that supported Dončić’s separation from the Mavericks and let the world know — if anyone had any questions — that he was now a Laker off the court, too.
The latest @Jumpman23 ad for Luka Doncic ahead of Lakers-Mavs pic.twitter.com/PpX148XZ6R
— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) February 25, 2025
Dončić recorded his first triple-double as a Laker on Tuesday, finishing with 19 points, 15 rebounds and 12 assists in a 107-99 win over the Mavericks at Crypto.com Arena. But Dončić not only won the game; he also won marketing for the day.
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Lakers outlast Mavericks as Luka Dončić notches triple-double
Tuesday’s win will be remembered, but so will the Jordan Brand campaign dedicated to the five-time All-Star who joined the Lakers a little more than three weeks ago. The ad brought back the days of seeing the memorable basketball shoe commercials on television, from Spike Lee playing the role of Mars Blackmon and hanging with Michael Jordan to Allen Iverson being in a cameo with rapper Jadakiss.
The commercials of the past told us that Charles Barkley wasn’t a role model for Nike. Magic Johnson, Isiah Thomas, Kevin McHale, Mark Aguirre, Bernard King and Larry Bird rapped and displayed their Converse Weapons. Anfernee Hardaway showed his Nikes and introduced us to Lil Penny.
Let’s not forget Kobe Bryant and LeBron James had puppets who built postseason anticipation. And one of the coolest basketball-related commercials in recent years had nothing to do with shoes: Remember when Chris Paul was Cliff Paul selling insurance?
Dončić in L.A. feels like a perfect opportunity to bring some of that commercial magic back. He’s 25 and in the center of one of the largest media markets in America. He speaks Spanish in a region with a lot of Spanish speakers. He’s from Slovenia and starred in the EuroLeague before his time in the NBA; Dončić has a strong international following.
In addition to the ad, there also was Dončić’s sneaker debut. Dončić wore his new Jordan Luka 4 signature shoe in Tuesday’s game.
The Jordan Brand-Dončić takeover continued late Tuesday afternoon. The ad with the license plates was followed by the news that Lakers star and Jordan Brand were offering free parking for fans near Crypto.com Arena. That’s an easy win for Dončić, especially with those familiar with oft-gridlocked Los Angeles. Getting of Interstate 110 during rush hour and finding free parking courtesy of Dončić only added to his popularity.
Additionally, Jordan Brand impressed fans by having the car from the ad pull up to the arena before tipoff with its own parking spot in front of the arena. The car had a Lakers-gold Jumpman logo on the hood and Dončić’s No. 77 on the sides.
Everything before Tuesday’s tipoff helped to build anticipation for Dončić’s star power in and around the city. That’s saying a lot, given he’s already established a more-than-credible basketball résumé. He is a five-time All-NBA First Team guard who last season led the Mavericks to the NBA Finals.
I remember looking forward to basketball shoe commercials, even if I couldn’t buy or didn’t want to buy the shoes. I’m interested in seeing what’s next from Jordan Brand to assist with his publicity.
Will the Dončić car show up to the courts at Venice Beach? Will Dončić be in the driver’s seat of the car the next time we see it? Will George Strait’s music be replaced by a Kendrick Lamar song?
Dončić as a Laker is setting up to be fun times — on and off the court.
(Photo: Sean M. Haffey / Getty Images)
