NBA Players, Celebs Seek Second Emirates Cup In ‘The Heist II’ Campaign
Tuesday, October 22, 2024 at 02:45PM By Barry Janoff
October 22, 2024: The 2024-25 NBA season begins tonight, but the league is already fast-forwarding to Nov. 12 when the second Emirates NBA Cup in-season tournament begins.
Following last season’s inaugural Emirates NBA Cup — won by the Los Angeles Lakers — the league has unveiled “The Heist II,” which, as did last year’s “The Heist,” is a multi-media campaign filled with players populating a Las Vegas venue — site of the Semifinals and Championship — planning to run off with the trophy.
This year, actor Michael Imperioli returns from last season’s "The Heist”, joined by actress Rosario Dawson.
They are in on the action, along with Stephen Curry, Anthony Davis, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Tyrese Haliburton, Jrue Holiday and Jamal Murray.
“The Heist II” will air during NBA games on ESPN, ABC, TNT and NBA TV in a full nearly two minute version and in 30-, 15- and 10-second versions.
Support includes out-of-home, digital, social, audio and print
Complimentary spots will debut ahead of the Knockout Rounds and Semifinals and Championship featuring Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Grant Hill alongside Imperioli and Dawson discussing the final race to the NBA Cup.
“Building off the energy of last year’s successful campaign, ‘The Heist II’ continues the fun, exciting story about vying for a new championship for both NBA players and fans alike,” NBA CMO Tammy Henault said via the league.
“We expect the familiar story arc of a theatrical heist to resonate with a broad audience and further cement that the Emirates NBA Cup brings a new level of excitement to the early part of the season.”
The NBA earlier this month launched its multi-media brand campaign, “The Tip-Off,” with a focus on another trophy. The league said that effort “highlights the excitement of the league’s global fan base as they gear up for another thrilling season and captures the anticipation of knowing that the Larry O’Brien Trophy is anyone’s to claim.”
In “The Heist II,” Imperioli and Dawson are masterminding a plan.
“There’s some big loot in town: the NBA Emirates Cup,” says Imperioli. “And all the heavy hitters are after it — again.”
Says Dawson: It’s on.”
“Oh, it's on,” Imperioli replies.
As Davis protects the Lakers’ Emirates NBA Cup trophy from last season, the other NBA players utilize decoys, disguises and theatrics (such as swimming through the Bellagio Fountain), weave through a laser field, scale a building and climb through elevator shafts in an effort to snag the trophy.
However, as Imperioli observes “This time it’s little bit trickier because everyone knows how much the Cup is worth. There’s only one way to snatch the Cup — play for it.”
Adds Dawson, “Let’s see what happens on the court.”
All 30 teams have been randomly drawn into groups of five within their conference based on win-loss records from the 2023-24 regular season.
Beginning Nov. 12 and continuing through Dec. 3, each team will play four designated Group Play games on “Cup Nights” on Tuesdays and Fridays.
Broadcast partners ESPN and TNT will combine to air 14 games during Group Play.
Eight teams will advance to the Knockout Rounds, which will consist of single-elimination games in the Quarterfinals, played in NBA team markets Dec. 10-11.
It will culminate with single-elimination Semifinals Dec. 14 and Championship Dec. 17 in T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas.
The full cast of "The Heist II" includes:
• Michael Imperioli (“Goodfellas,” “The Sopranos,” “The White Lotus")
• Rosario Dawson (“He Got Game,” “Rent,” “Ahsoka”)
• Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors)
• Anthony Davis (Los Angeles Lakers)
• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder)
• Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana Pacers)
• Jrue Holiday (Boston Celtics)
• Jamal Murray (Denver Nuggets)
‘Might As Well Jump’: NBA Anticipates 2024-25 Season With ‘The Tip-Off’ Campaign
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