Russell Westbrook has a new Air Jordan commercial that seems to be subtly taking a shot at Kevin Durant leaving the Thunder.
The commercial doesn’t start out with much controversy. There’s a playground court and Westbrook is dribbling down it.
During his dramatic charge down court, airplane noises set in, and the viewer instantly realizes where this is all leading up to.
Suddenly there’s a runway off in the distance, and no hoop visible. Westbrook jumps from the free throw line (Jordan reference) and the camera shows Westbrook taking off with a “23” below him on the strip.
It’s an ascetically interesting commercial up to this point, but the voiceover is what ends up raising some eyebrows.
“Some run, some make runways” punctuates the air, and the commercial ends with an authoritative dunk.
The quote is ambiguous enough that it has a lot of people speculating as to what it means, and whether it’s simply a coincidence that his former teammate left under unexpected circumstances.
It’s setting up the two distinctions as dichotomous, whereas it’s implying that one is the good alternative and the other isn’t.
Had it said something like “some just run, but others make runaways,” it doesn’t seem as incendiary. That alternative would be more highlighting how Westbrook goes above and beyond the typical player, instead of the terse indictment in the first statement of those who “run.”
It may be a subtle change, but I get a way different connotation from it. I think the people who are attributing this as a dig at Durant are onto something.
Leaving a team via free agency is “running” apparently, although the phrase also implies he was scared of something. The responsibility? The pressure? I don’t know.
Westbrook can now presumably “take off” on the metaphorical runway which is the basketball court.
It seems more likely that Westbrook wins a scoring title than a championship next season, though, so maybe it’s more of an individual “take off.”
It was strange wording for the commercial, and within the context of Westbrook’s offseason and some of the comments he has made, it’s not reading too deeply into it to assume he’s sending a message to Durant.