Nike’s “Dream Crazy” commercial narrated by civil rights activist and former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick has been nominated for a 2019 Emmy Award. LeBron James and other prominent athletes are featured in the critically acclaimed Nike spot along with Kaepernick. At the 1:10 mark of the video, LeBron first emerges as a young high school basketball phenom before the ad goes on to depict James speaking at the opening of his I Promise School in Akron, Ohio.
“Don’t become the best basketball player on the planet,” Kaepernick says during the commercial as images of LeBron flash across the screen. “Be bigger than basketball. Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything.”
The short video went viral when it was first released in September for its inspirational message. But it was also met with controversy as a result of Kaepernick’s previous protests on police brutality and racial inequality during the national anthem. Despite that, this commercial remains just one of many moments that LeBron used his platform to lend his support to those like the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback who are working for change in the community.
Nike’s two-minute ad was nominated in the outstanding commercial category along with “A Great Day In Hollywood” by Netflix, “Behind The Mac” by Macbook, “Point of View” by Sandy Hook Promise and “Shot on an iPhone XS” by iPhone. The winners are scheduled to be announced on September 22.
