Kevin Durant used to be nice, but not anymore. At some point this season, the second-best player in the NBA stopped being the silent choirboy fans respected, and Nike and Wieden+Kennedy anticipated the change for their recent “KD Is Not Nice” campaign. Call it truth in advertising, because for whatever reason, Durant has really started to embrace the roll of edgy superstar.

continued…

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

As part of Goodby Silverstein & Partners’ ongoing “BIG” work for the NBA, we leave your this Turkey Day with this double-dribble-galore tune brought to you by Dwyane Wade, Dwight Howard, Carmelo Anthony and Russell Westbrook among others to herald the Association’s Christmas uniforms. We need not explain more, but we with you a Happy Thanksgiving in the process. Let’s just hope there are no David Stern fines to be levied. You, like us, are hopefully looking forward to the NBA Finals matchup between the Heat and Thunder come Xmas. Credits after the jump.

continued…

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Fresh off of winning Olympic gold, Oklahoma City Thunder teammates Russell Westbrook and James Harden are among a few Team USA basketball athletes to star in a new round of spots from BBDO New York for Foot Locker. ESPN’s Darren Rovell is already raving that “Tear Away” (above) could be the “commercial of the year,” though we’ll stop short of that for now. Still, considering Team USA’s success in London and the fairly entertaining ideas put forth here, we can consider this a win-win for BBDO, which picked up creative duties for Foot Locker last fall. While “Tear Away” has Rovell gushing, we were just as amused by “The Melo’s” (below) starring Harden and Westbrook’s Olympics teammate Carmelo Anthony, who perhaps is taking a knock at his own inflated ego. Credits and one more spot starring, Westbrook, Kevin Love and the Miami Heat’s Chris Bosh after the jump.

continued…

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Andre Iguodala, Rajon Rondo, Derrick Rose, Josh Smith and Russell Westbrook are back in this new spot for NBA 2K11 from 72andSunny, Robot Films and director Chris Robinson (yeah, we’re hyped for the NBA season to start, so sue us). Since our last encounter with these pro ballers, they’ve moved on from idolizing Michael Jordan but are still fixated on the Chicago Bulls of old.

The first spot was funny and the athletes did a great job with their acting skills as they also did in this spot so why not keep it going?

More: Halo: Reach vs. Halo 3: Does It Measure Up?

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.