If you’ve watched television at all in the past few months, you’ve probably stumbled upon this commercial at some point.
The ad was played repeatedly throughout the NBA playoffs, turning Johnny Davis into a household name. Delighted to see a familiar face, Twitter erupted when the Wizards chose the Taco Bell pitchman with the tenth pick in Thursday night’s draft, with some fans learning for the first time that Davis was an actual NBA prospect (he was a consensus All-American at Wisconsin last season) and not a paid actor. And before you ask, no, Davis did not leave the stage at Barclays Center to order a toasted cheddar chalupa.
A longtime partner of the NBA (they’ve sponsored the Skills Challenge at All-Star Weekend since 2010), this isn’t the first time Taco Bell has made its presence felt on draft night. With the draft winding down in 2014, ESPN cut to a Taco Bell commercial just as the Nuggets were about to select Nikola Jokic with the 41st pick. They didn’t know it at the time, but ESPN was snubbing a two-time MVP and certain Hall-of-Famer, prioritizing a quesarito over one of the most unique talents the league has ever seen.
In a move that is sure to cause confusion, the Heat drafted Serbian seven-footer Nikola Jovic with the 27th pick Thursday night. Davis, meanwhile, could be the heir apparent to All-Star Bradley Beal, who has been the subject of recent trade speculation.
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