Future college star Kaleena Smith is already taking names, and one of them happens to be Gilbert Arenas. The 16-year-old phenom, fresh off being named California Gatorade Player of the Year, is proving she’s built for the big stage. And now? She just schooled a former NBA star. At least in the eyes of Adidas. How? Well, let’s just say a commercial, a crossover, and a legendary reaction were all involved
Both the retired NBA player and the high school star are part of the German brand, Adidas (valued at $16 billion according to Statista), and some marketing genius decided to bring the two together for an ad campaign. In the clip, which promotes the Lite Shorts, the former Washington Wizards star, dressed in all Adidas apparel appears to play the role of a special product tester. The ad begins with him asking, “What does ergonomic V-notch mean?”
The camera then pans to Kaleena, who flaunts her swift and sharp V-cut move, finishing with a thunderous dunk. She caps it off with John Cena’s signature gesture, moving her hand back and forth in front of her face. As the camera turns back to Arenas, he returns to where he started and ends the commercial with, “V-notch design? Damn, that’s crazy!” What’s more insane is this dynamic duo.
Gilbert Arenas himself might be the mastermind behind this campaign. We know he previously created his commercials for Adidas. His previous Adidas ads leaned into humor and resonated with fans. This new commercial, featuring a future star and enhanced with Arenas’ humor is sure to gain traction! “Gil on a legendary run,” a netizen wrote. It was just last year the brand signed a deal with Kaleena.
Kaleena Smith made history as Adidas’ first NIL girls’ high school basketball player
Smith dominated this season, averaging 23.2 points and leading Ontario Christian to the No. 1 rank for girls’ high school basketball, as per MaxPreps. Experts widely favored Kaleena to win the Naismith Player of the Year award. Who better than the 16-year-old sophomore to be Adidas’ first NIL girls’ high school basketball player?
As part of the deal, she will represent the brand during her games for Ontario Christian as well as for her AAU team. While Smith is still in high school, she already has offers from some of the most coveted programs.
What makes this deal even more striking is that Candace Parker, the brand’s new women’s roster president, made Kaleena her first signing. “Signing Kaleena as our first high school NIL women’s basketball athlete is a pivotal moment for us as we lead in championing women’s sports and building greater access to and representation in the game that we all love,” the WNBA star said.
Smith is ranked as the No. 1 recruit for the class of 2027, with enticing offers. While she is the shortest player to be ranked No. 1 by ESPN in two decades, Smith is also proving that her height will not limit her. At just 16, Kaleena Smith is already proving that her work ethic defines her. With Adidas backing her and college scouts watching closely, the next few years could see her go from high school standout to national star. If this is just the beginning, imagine what’s next?
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