# Who's the basketball player with the grocery sack in that Coke commercial? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** soda-softdrinks\ **Created:** [March 20, 2005, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-basketball-player-with-the-grocery-sack-in-that-coke-commercial/295376 "2005-03-20T01:45:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Thrillhouse15](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ad7895/32.png) [@Thrillhouse15](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thrillhouse15)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2005, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-basketball-player-with-the-grocery-sack-in-that-coke-commercial/295376/1 "2005-03-20T01:45:29Z")
You know the one: the older guy is walking by a playground court carrying a sack of groceries, catches a basketball, challenges the player to take it back from him. I don’t recognize that guy at all. Should I? Anyone know who he is? ---
**Author:** ![GraceTX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c4cdca/32.png) [@GraceTX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GraceTX)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2005, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-basketball-player-with-the-grocery-sack-in-that-coke-commercial/295376/2 "2005-03-20T04:39:37Z")
I’ve seen that commercial several times and I’m not a big enough basketball fan to recognize who it is. At the end of the commercial, one of the guys says that he’s a legend in street basketball. At leasts that’s what I think that’s what he says…I can’t quite make it out. ---
**Author:** ![Thrillhouse15](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ad7895/32.png) [@Thrillhouse15](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thrillhouse15)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2005, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-basketball-player-with-the-grocery-sack-in-that-coke-commercial/295376/3 "2005-03-22T18:07:02Z")
> [@Grace](#): > > I’ve seen that commercial several times and I’m not a big enough basketball fan to recognize who it is. At the end of the commercial, one of the guys says that he’s a legend in street basketball. At leasts that’s what I think that’s what he says…I can’t quite make it out. Yeah, it sounds like they say a name towards the end. I don’t recognize him as a former college or NBA player. I figured he was one of those street ball legends that I’ve always heard about but never seen play (excpet maybe in White Men Can’t Jump). ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2005, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-basketball-player-with-the-grocery-sack-in-that-coke-commercial/295376/4 "2005-03-22T18:54:48Z")
I think it’s James Worthy. Not sure though. ---
**Author:** ![Stringer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Stringer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stringer)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2005, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-basketball-player-with-the-grocery-sack-in-that-coke-commercial/295376/5 "2005-03-22T19:07:38Z")
I don’t think it’s James Worthy. Recent pics [here](http://www.motivational-celebrity-speakers.com/players/james.gif) and [here](http://www.archiesicecream.com/images/gallery/JAMESWORTHY.jpg) don’t look like the guy in the commerical to me. A guy on another message board suggested Hap Hairston, but I couldn’t find a recent pic to compare. ---
**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2005, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-basketball-player-with-the-grocery-sack-in-that-coke-commercial/295376/6 "2005-03-25T22:10:57Z")
I don’t think it’s really an NBA player. Not James Worthy. Probably too young to be George Gervin, but looks a bit like him. An actor, I’m thinking. xo C. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2005, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-basketball-player-with-the-grocery-sack-in-that-coke-commercial/295376/7 "2005-03-25T22:40:06Z")
Whew! I thought I was the only one that didn’t recognize the guy. Now I don’t feel so bad. What I want to know is, what happens to the Coke the older guy is drinking when he walks on to the playground? It just suddenly disappears. Unless it’s the same one he pulls out of the grocery sack and gives to the younger guy at the end. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2005, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-basketball-player-with-the-grocery-sack-in-that-coke-commercial/295376/8 "2005-03-26T00:23:05Z")
I don’t think the player is anyone in particular. I think he’s just an older guy who is supposed to be known as a playground legend. There’s one in every city. If it were Happy Hairston that would be a neat trick since he’s been dead for a few years. ---
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2005, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-basketball-player-with-the-grocery-sack-in-that-coke-commercial/295376/9 "2005-03-26T01:22:03Z")
I thought it was Michael Jordan. As in the whipper snapper smart-ass kids are too dumb to know who Michael Jordan is. I only saw it once though, and was reading a book at the same time so probably not. ---
**Author:** ![drewbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drewbert/32/15890_2.png) [@drewbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewbert)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2005, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-basketball-player-with-the-grocery-sack-in-that-coke-commercial/295376/10 "2005-03-26T01:40:02Z")
Definitely not Jordan or Worthy or anyone else who ever played for Carolina 😉 My first thought was Clyde Drexler, but looking at photos of him online, I’m not sure. Whoever it is, he looks familiar. ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2005, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-basketball-player-with-the-grocery-sack-in-that-coke-commercial/295376/11 "2005-03-26T02:25:09Z")
> [@](#): > > i wrote Coca-cola about this here’s what they had to say Thank you for contacting The Coca-Cola Company, Mr. . We appreciate your interest in our advertising. > > Contractual agreements with our ad agencies and the talent prohibit the release of an actor’s identity without their prior consent. Unfortunately, consent has not been granted for this particular ad. We apologize that we cannot respond in a more positive way. > > It was a pleasure hearing from you. If you have any additional comments or questions about our advertising, please feel free to contact us again. Best wishes! > > Jennifer > Industry and Consumer Affairs [http://www.randomthinks.net/rtblog/2005/03/need\_your\_help\_.html](http://www.randomthinks.net/rtblog/2005/03/need_your_help_.html) ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2005, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-basketball-player-with-the-grocery-sack-in-that-coke-commercial/295376/12 "2005-03-26T02:26:58Z")
> [@voguevixen](#): > > I thought it was Michael Jordan. As in the whipper snapper smart-ass kids are too dumb to know who Michael Jordan is. I think it looks vaguely like an older, unshaven MJ with a moustache (he’s only 42), but it doesn’t sound like him and I don’t think an ad making that kind of a statement would work. Also his PR team probably wouldn’t go for it. ---
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Chitwood)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2005, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-basketball-player-with-the-grocery-sack-in-that-coke-commercial/295376/13 "2005-03-26T02:28:57Z")
It’s not a famous basketball player. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2005, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-basketball-player-with-the-grocery-sack-in-that-coke-commercial/295376/14 "2005-03-26T03:38:00Z")
[Lamar Mundane?](http://mail.pepperguy.com/movies/) ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2005, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-basketball-player-with-the-grocery-sack-in-that-coke-commercial/295376/15 "2005-04-01T18:17:24Z")
A reporter from the Arizona Republic tracked down the identity of the player in the commercial. It is former UCLA player Nigel Miguel. He played briefly in the NBA, but also has done some acting. The scary thing is that he’s my age and I went to UCLA the same time he did and I didn’t recognize him. ---
**Author:** ![Airblairxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Airblairxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airblairxxx)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2005, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-basketball-player-with-the-grocery-sack-in-that-coke-commercial/295376/16 "2005-04-01T23:29:15Z")
> [@BobT](#): > > The scary thing is that he’s my age and I went to UCLA the same time he did and I didn’t recognize him. It’s called “makeup”. Wow, that was snotty for a Friday afternoon, and to a fellow Bruin, too! I should go home and just lie in bed, or something. ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2005, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-basketball-player-with-the-grocery-sack-in-that-coke-commercial/295376/17 "2005-04-01T23:55:35Z")
I think it was a case of … wow, I must look that old too. ---
**Author:** ![mmgh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@mmgh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mmgh)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-basketball-player-with-the-grocery-sack-in-that-coke-commercial/295376/18 "2013-03-13T23:58:22Z")
The one guy in the commercial is NBA basketball player Bill Russell, not James Worthy. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2013, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-basketball-player-with-the-grocery-sack-in-that-coke-commercial/295376/19 "2013-03-14T00:14:22Z")
> [@mmgh](#): > > The one guy in the commercial is NBA basketball player Bill Russell, not James Worthy. This was 8 years ago. Are you talking about the same one? 😕