Nike's New LeBron James Commercial Recalls Origin of 'Chosen 1' Tattoo

A young LeBron James gets his iconic 'Chosen 1' tattoo in a new Nike commercial.

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Despite a sometimes difficult childhood, LeBron James understood that with the tools instilled in him by his mother Gloria, his tight-knit group of friends and around-the-clock hard work, he was destined for greatness. James was so confident that when Sports Illustrated used the phrase "Chosen One" for his Feb. 2002 cover story, he had it tattooed on his back a few months later — long before he ever played an NBA minute. Now, with James' eighth-straight trip to the NBA Finals nearing, Nike celebrates one of the all-time greats with a new commercial, taking viewers back to the day he made his destiny official by way of ink.

In "Tattoo," a young man enters a tattoo shop and hands the artist a piece of paper of the design he'd like to get. Though the artist is skeptical, his potential client is sure about his decision. The camera pans up to reveal a young James, and written on the paper is the iconic phrase-turned tattoo. View the new spot above.