Nikola Jokic Draft Class: 40 Players and a Taco Bell Commercial Overshadowed 2X MVP’s Big Night

The Denver Nuggets big man, Nikola Jokic, was drafted on June 26, 2014, as the 41st overall pick. Unfortunately, not everyone got to see the Serbian center’s face then. Why, you ask? Simply because there was a Taco Bell commercial running at the time.

The ESPN broadcast was busy trying to cram as many advertisements as possible in between the NBA draft selections. We all know that people will stay rooted to the TV if it’s anything related to the NBA. And what better chance to imprint on their minds with some profitable sources for other businesses that have signed contracts with ESPN?

Nikola Jokic and Taco Bell have come a long way

Both Nikola Jokic and Taco Bell have come a long way since 2014. Jokic has gone on to become an NBA champion and 2x MVP. Taco Bell has definitely upped its advertisements and by the looks of it, still flourishing. Let’s take a look at the commercial that managed to get one over the Joker during his draft.

Keep your eye peeled for the Serbian center’s name below the commercial. Between watching the beautiful girl bite into a cheesy quesarito and the cheesy yumminess in her hand, it’s understandable you might forget to read. Why don’t we see what we couldn’t see then?

Yup, you saw that right. It is the Deputy Commissioner, Mark Tatum, announcing Denver’s pick of the season. They haven’t regretted that decision. Jokic has come a long way from home and last season saw him with the NBA trophy.

That trophy meant a lot of things to many people. For Denver, it was their first-ever NBA win. For Jokic and his team, it was a standing proof of all their hard work and sacrifice. And, for the fans, it was a gift. The trust they put in the Denver Nuggets is not in vain.

The 40 players that got in the way of the Joker

It is not just the commercial that stopped the world from seeing the future Nuggets superstar’s introduction into the NBA. There were 40 other draft picks who would go before Nikola. Pretty sure all the teams that passed Jokic on had a serious meltdown when he became an MVP – two times.

Clearly, the “foreigner-hating” fans must also be kicking themselves for being so premature and prejudiced.

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There were about 40 players that the NBA teams passed on before the Denver Nuggets landed Jokic. Some of them are Embiid, Wiggins, Gordon, Smart, LaVine and more. Many of these names went on to create a name for themselves, like Embiid, Wiggins, and Smart. But Gordon, drafted by the Orlando Magic, was eventually traded to the Nuggets and now forms the supporting cast of the Joker.

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Anyway, it was Denver’s time to shine, and they got a winning team with the Jokic-Murray duo.