Sprite just signed ESPN’s top-ranked NBA player to its starting lineup.
Nikola Jokić, a three-time NBA MVP, joins Anthony Edwards in Sprite’s new global platform, "Never Stop Refreshing the Game."
The campaign rolls out now and runs into 2027 across seven world regions, with spots starring both players on the way.
It follows Sprite’s March return as the NBA’s Official Global Soft Drink.
Sprite’s release says Jokić, ESPN’s No. 1 player for 2026-27, brings an international reach that bridges North America and Europe.
This reach can strengthen brand awareness in markets where an American star is less familiar.
"Basketball brings people around the world together," Jokić said.
"Sprite has been part of the story for decades, and I’m excited to partner with them to continue bringing the game to the next generation."
As for Edwards, he already has a history of notable campaigns with the brand.
Previously, he starred as "Anta Claus" in Sprite's holiday campaign, then joined Kevin Garnett in the "Lock In" spot from Johannes Leonardo.
Scan a Can, Win Courtside Seats
The hero spot starts with Jokić on stage as a stand-up comedian, beginning his skit with a can of Sprite.
The star then awkwardly cracks jokes to the crowd, but barely anyone reacts.
Giving up on his brief stint as a comedian, he exits the stage as the screen writes: "Jokes aside, welcome Joker."
As part of the campaign, fans can pick up limited-edition NBA cans and signature Anthony Edwards and Nikola Jokić cans with scannable QR codes.
The codes open interactive digital games with prizes such as VIP courtside tickets, official Wilson game balls, and exclusive gear.
Away from the shelf, Sprite is restoring neighborhood courts with "Hoops of Refreshment" murals and bringing live experiences to major events.
At home, fans can unlock NBA 2K in-game power-ups and game-day food delivery deals.
The brand is also active around the NBA Global Games, including the NBA Mexico City Game 2026, where Jokić and the Denver Nuggets face the Indiana Pacers.
The NBA Manchester and Paris Games follow in early 2027.
NBA Viewership on Prime Video Jumped 129% in Europe
Sprite’s event schedule follows the markets where NBA audiences are growing fastest.
Viewership of NBA games on Prime Video across Europe rose129% year over year in the 2025-26 season, according to Sportcal.
Brazil and Mexico gained 80%, based on Amazon first-party data cited in the same report.
Manchester and Paris sit in the first market and Mexico City in the second, so the brand’s activations land where new viewers are arriving.
Sprite also tested a similar packaging-first approach earlier this year with "The Living Tracklist," its Genius collaboration that put 50 hip-hop classics on 26 limited-edition packs.
QR codes on those packs opened a song archive and expert commentary, and the collection ran on shelves from July through September 2026.
While the effort drew fans in with music they already loved, Sprite's new basketball cans use the same scan to reach fans through live games and prizes.
This makes the QR code a repeatable entry point across both categories.
Brands planning multi-market athlete campaigns can borrow three moves from Sprite:
- Sign a second star for a second audience: Two athletes with different home crowds give one platform two entry points.
- Give the packaging a job: QR codes on limited-edition cans give a routine purchase a reason to be scanned, and each scan shows the brand who is buying.
- Fund something local: Restored courts give a global platform physical proof in each neighborhood it reaches.
In short, a platform that appears in stores and arenas gives fans even more reasons to remember it.
Our Take: Is 'Refreshing' the Word for This Campaign?
Refreshing is what the drink promises, and in this tagline it also describes what a player does to the game.
This lets Sprite say its product name inside basketball conversations with no setup.
A line like that travels across seven regions without a long explanation, and it hands Jokić and Edwards the same words in two different accents.
If you asked us, we would put it on every can.
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