The NBA commercial to promote the Emirates NBA Cup: “The Heist II”

The NBA commercial features the trailer for the Emirates NBA Cup, which kicks off on November 12

When it comes to sporting events, there is no one like the Americans when it comes to show business. They are experts at putting on big events for the masses like the NFL, NBA or Baseball. And since 2023 they have added another test: the Emirates NBA Cup to be held in Las Vegas.

This new competition has a format similar to European football tournaments where teams play in a league and a knockout round in one match. To promote this year’s edition, the NBA has launched an advertising campaign that pays homage to the great heist movies that have had Las Vegas as their protagonist.

“The Heist II” is the NBA commercial to promote the Emirates NBA Cup. It was made by the creative agency Translation and is the second part of the campaign launched last year, designed to expand the NBA’s reach to different audiences.

The piece is set in Las Vegas, and begins with last year’s champion team, represented by Anthony Davis of the Los Angeles Lakers, protecting last year’s trophy. While he orders champagne in his penthouse, five other NBA stars try to steal the trophy from him. Thus, we see how Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder), Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana Pacers), Jrue Holiday (Boston Celtics) and Jamal Murray (Denver Nuggets) plot their plans to get their hands on it. But what they don’t know is that actress Rosario Dawson will play a very important role.

The NBA commercial aims to promote the Emirates NBA Cup, a format that saw a 46% increase in viewership in its debut, with a peak of 5.68 million viewers.

The Heist II – Behind the scenes

Watch | YouTube