Nike Contacts 31-Year-Old Chiki Uno for Knicks Parade After Championship Ad Breakout
Updated
Updated · Vulture · Jun 16
Nike Contacts 31-Year-Old Chiki Uno for Knicks Parade After Championship Ad Breakout
2 articles · Updated · Vulture · Jun 16
Summary
Nike reached out to Chiki Uno during an interview to ask if he was available Thursday, signaling a possible invite to the New York Knicks’ championship parade after his postgame ad became an instant fan touchstone.
Uno, a 31-year-old Bronx model with no prior acting experience, starred in the first commercial after the Knicks clinched the NBA title on June 13, sprinting through New York in a Josh Safdie-directed Nike spot.
The ad’s breakout has quickly changed his profile: Uno said strangers now recognize him on the street, offer him free drinks and snacks, and treat him like an honorary Knick.
That sudden visibility followed a large, secretive shoot with 600 to 700 extras, where Uno said he did about 12 sprint takes over three to four blocks and came away with a sprained ankle and wrist.
For Uno, the possible parade appearance would cap a rapid shift from model to city symbol, as the Knicks’ long-awaited title turns a one-off commercial role into a broader New York moment.