What was once old, is now new again. And an ad once fit for a king is hoping to find the next big thing.
Imitation is the greatest form of flattery, and no one should be more flattered than LeBron James after seeing the best commitment video arguably ever videoed.
With pool days in short supply as the end of summer nears, four-star wide receiver Kwazi Gilmer traded in the boring folding table for a picturesque backyard oasis. Set in a scene that includes a landscape reminiscent of the tropics, the No. 196 overall player in the 2024 class — according to 247 Sports — went for an upgrade over the ad that first aired in 2006.
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He, like James, plays all the characters in the video — from athlete to old man and everything in between.
4-star WR Kwazi Gilmer (@masterkwazi) remade a classic @KingJames Nike commercial to commit to UCLA🤣https://t.co/vyDhCJUQ03 pic.twitter.com/HcLLeyLor7
— On3 Recruits (@On3Recruits) August 11, 2023
But don't worry. There is still all the stuff that adds intrigue to traditional commitment announcements. Stanford, Michigan State, California, Washington and Oklahoma all make cameos before Gilmer dives into the pool to reveal UCLA as the chosen school.
If there was any doubt, he also confirmed the news on X, formerly known as Twitter.
10000000% committed 🐻 @UCLAFootball @UCLAFBRecruit @jerryneuheisel pic.twitter.com/KgAQl0Uf0C
— Kwazi gilmer (@Masterkwazi) August 11, 2023
And the newest UCLA commit also showed his business savvy, weaving in two commercials with some key product placement changes. Gilmer subs in Powerade for lemonade, sticking with the blue flavor and highlighting his good judgment. Instead of "pops" threatening to get out of his seat, the receiver pauses to showcase Invisalign.
This commercial parody isn't Gilmer's only connection to the James family. He attends Sierra Canyon in California, the same school from which James' son, Bronny, just graduated.
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From flip phones to iPhones and messy hair to TikTok lighting — fans of 2000's nostalgia, LeBron James, old-school advertising or even just UCLA football — this is for you.
LeBron James Nike swimming pool commercial
The original Nike ad from James aired beginning in 2006, a far cry from the blandness of modern commercials. As the saying goes, "they don't make them like they used to."
