Viral: Nikola Jokic drafted during Taco Bell ad resurfaces
DENVER (BVM) – Remember when Nikola Jokic slept through NBA draft night and was officially picked by the Denver Nuggets during a Taco Bell commercial?
Watch below as Jokic’s name flashes across the bottom of the screen during a 2014 Taco Bell ad for the Quesarito (quesadilla/burrito). The ad is currently going viral since fans are resurfacing it online.
There will never be a greater underdog story than 2x MVP Nikola Jokic being drafted during a Taco Bell “Quesarito” ad pic.twitter.com/Itf3Lz1s3D
— Trung Phan (@TrungTPhan) May 23, 2023
It was during that exact fast-food commercial that ran nine years ago when the Nuggets unknowingly made their greatest draft pick in NBA history. As the No. 41 overall pick, he’s widely considered to be one of the biggest steals in NBA draft history.
The ESPN broadcast opted to use Jokic’s moment as a commercial break. However, he didn’t notice since he wasn’t awake for it. Jokic told Sporting News, “I was sleeping (in Serbia) when they drafted me.”
Now, Jokic is a two-time MVP who just led the Nuggets to their first-ever NBA Finals. Clearly, how his draft night played out wasn’t meant to foreshadow the rest of his career.
As for that “new Quesarito” from the 2014 draft night commercial – it was discontinued earlier this year. So, Jokic managed to last longer than the popular menu item synonymous with his name. All that’s missing is an endorsement deal from Taco Bell following the upcoming NBA Finals.
“Hopefully, I’m gonna have some percentage from the Taco Bell,” Jokic told The Denver Post back in 2022.
