Celebrity Names: Cooper Flagg & Larry Bird
Brand Name: Chime
Deal Type: Brand Ambassador / Campaign Feature
Announced: March 6, 2026
Impact: Strengthens Chime’s visibility with basketball fans, elevates Flagg’s endorsement profile, and uses Larry Bird’s legacy to give the fintech extra credibility across generations
- NBA rookie Cooper Flagg and Hall of Famer Larry Bird star together in a new Chime fintech campaign called “Ring Chasin'”, featuring playful on-screen trash talk between the two generations.
- Bird leans into his legendary confidence, joking he could still guard the young Flagg, while Flagg claps back with a dig at Bird’s iconic ’80s mullet.
- Flagg has been a Chime brand ambassador since June 2025, joining NBA teammates Jalen Green, Dereck Lively II, and Christian Wood on the platform’s growing basketball roster.
- Off the court, Flagg is quickly becoming one of the most marketable young athletes in sports, with deals spanning AT&T, State Farm, and Uber Eats already on his resume.
Cooper Flagg and Larry Bird are teaming up, but not on the court. The Dallas Mavericks rookie and the Boston Celtics legend are starring together in a new commercial for fintech brand Chime, titled “Ring Chasin’.”
The ad is as fun as it sounds: Bird, never short on confidence, jokes that he could still lock Flagg up defensively, while the 20-year-old rookie fires back with a jab at Bird’s legendary, and very dated, 1980s mullet. It’s the kind of chemistry that makes great advertising, and Chime clearly knew what they had.
Flagg has been a Chime brand ambassador since June 2025, joining a basketball-heavy roster that includes Jalen Green, Dereck Lively II, and Christian Wood.
The fintech company has been intentional about building credibility inside NBA culture, and pairing their newest ambassador with one of the sport’s all-time greats is a bold statement.
For Bird, now in his 60s and rarely in the spotlight, the appearance is a reminder of why he remains one of the most compelling personalities the game has ever produced. Sharp, funny, and utterly unintimidated, even by the next generation.
Just as Devin Booker expanded his brand footprint through a Nike apparel collaboration and Jayson Tatum brought star power to Amica’s Back to Zero campaign, Flagg is clearly following a deliberate blueprint, aligning with legacy brands and cultural icons early in his career.
With deals already in place with AT&T, State Farm, and Uber Eats, Flagg is building one of the most impressive rookie endorsement portfolios in recent memory.
Takeaways
The bigger picture here isn’t just a funny commercial; it’s a masterclass in brand positioning.
Chime is a fintech platform trying to connect with a younger, financially independent audience, and who better to deliver that message than the NBA’s most exciting young player?
Pairing Flagg with Bird adds instant credibility and nostalgia, bridging two very different generations of fans in one spot. It’s smart, cost-efficient storytelling.
For Flagg, the move signals that his team is thinking long-term. You don’t put a 20-year-old rookie next to Larry Bird for a quick paycheck, you do it to build an image. Accessible, confident, a little self-aware, and ready to compete with legends. That’s a brand identity that will age well.
Could the “Ring Chasin'” campaign concept evolve into a longer Chime series featuring other NBA legends and rising stars? Does pairing today’s stars with NBA legends make for better ads than using current stars alone?
