February 18, 2023
Eric Hartline/USA TODAY SPORTS
Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey could blossom into a star in his fourth year as he sees a larger ball-handling role.
Tyrese Maxey, the fan-favorite third-year Philadelphia 76er, may not have made the NBA's All-Star game this season; however, he will be visible in a commercial airing during the league's 3-point shootout Saturday night.
Maxey has partnered with Pepsi to appear in an ad for Starry, the company's new lemon-lime soda.
The spot Maxey teased on his Instagram features actress Keke Palmer sitting courtside at a basketball game with characters Lem and Lime when she gets thirsty. Palmer is given a can of the drink, and a man made of Starry pops out when she pops it open. She shares a passionate moment with the soda man on the kiss cam; it quenches her thirst, leaving her fulfilled.
As the crowd looks astonished, she says, "so refreshing, so tasty." Maxey gazes with his mouth wide open, shocked, ultimately dropping the basketball.
"That was WILD!!!!! @Starrylemonlime #StarryHitsDifferent #StarryPartner," Maxey captioned the video on his Instagram.
Starry is the official title partner for this season's 3-point Contest at NBA All-Star Weekend in Utah, Philadelphia Business Journal reported. The soda will also become the soft drink of the NBA, WNBA, and the NBA G-League.
In January, Pepsi announced it was no longer producing Sierra Mist lemon-lime soda after 24 years, making way for Starry, a new drink to compete with Coca-Cola's Sprite.
The soft drink manufacturer said the demand for lemon-lime soda is at an all-time high, leading to the creation of a new product.
Sprite makes up a 7% share of the $82 billion U.S. soda market, while Sierra Mist only held 0.1%, according to USA Today. Adversely Sierra Mist soda only made up 0.2 % of Pepsi's total revenue, which makes the launch of Starry a low-risk move.
"With one product dominating the category, consumers deserve another option…one that hits differently. Starry is bright, optimistic, and rooted in culture and fun," Greg Lyons, Chief Marketing Officer at PepsiCo Beverages, said.
The NBA All-Star Weekend Saturday night events start at 8 p.m. on TNT.
