Welcome to season 15. @KingJames#LeBron15 #NikeBasketball pic.twitter.com/UtT0LlSzc0
— Nike Basketball (@nikebasketball) October 16, 2017
A day before LeBron James is to set return to the hardwood for his 15th NBA season, Nike released a tribute video for its biggest star.
In what has become an annual tradition for the sporting giant, the 58-second clip highlights the challenges ahead of the four-time NBA MVP after failing to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Larry O’Brien trophy last season.
Amply narrated by the commanding voice of Idris Elba, the ad splices footage from LeBron’s social media accounts and sends a chilling warning to the rest of the league.
“Oh no, no why’d they go and poke the bear? Why’d they try to set fire on fire? Do they know what happens now?” Elba said, describing the Ohio native’s ever-burning passion for redemption.
“Did they even think about that? No, too smart for that… now they’re living on borrowed time. Now is the season of their discontent.”
The clip then shifts to scenes of flames, thunderstorms and the proverbial lion and the deer, along with flashes of James’ dominance on the court last year.
With a retooled squad of fresh faces and a desire to once again silence all his critics, James is expected to once more carry the entire team on his broad shoulders and elevate the franchise to greatness.
The narration ends with Elba putting the other 29 NBA teams on notice of the resurgence of the man known as “The King.”
“That’s their future now, and I’d feel sorry for them if it wasn’t going to be so much damn fun to watch.” /ra
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