Nike

A sermon on the art of greatness

Everyone talked about LeBron’s athleticism. The dunks. The power. The sheer physical dominance. But there was another side of his game that didn’t get enough love: his vision. The way he saw the court. The passes that seemed impossible until they weren’t. We wanted to shine a light on that.

The insight was about celebration. Not just of LeBron, but of the assist itself. The dime. The unselfish play that makes everyone around you better. And if we were going to preach about passing, we needed to do it in a way that felt joyful. Fun. A little bit holy.

I led the creative on ‘Book of Dimes.’ Bernie Mac played a preacher in a black Nike tracksuit, delivering a sermon about LeBron, the “Chosen One,” blessed with divine court vision. LeBron made his entrance through church doors and proceeded to drop dimes like scripture. We filled the pews with legends: Magic Johnson. Dr. J. Lisa Leslie. Streetball icons from Rucker Park. And Bootsy Collins wrote the soundtrack—a funk-inspired groove that tied the whole thing together. It was reverent and ridiculous at the same time. Exactly what we wanted.

Over 10 million views in the first week. Fans loved the mix of humor, hoops history, and cultural homage. The campaign launched the Nike Air Zoom Generation and positioned LeBron as more than an athlete. A connector. A player who made everyone around him better. And a cultural force who could share the spotlight with legends and still shine.