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Taco Bell shouts out Johnny Davis after being drafted by Wizards

By Bijan Todd

Taco Bell shouts out Johnny Davis after being drafted originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington

There’s a love-love relationship going on between the Wizards’ latest first-round pick and a national fast-food joint.

Johnny Davis, who Washington drafted 10th overall on Thursday to stabilize their backcourt behind Bradley Beal, was already nationally recognizable for his work in a Taco Bell commercial. The ad was first shown on American TVs back in May and features Davis hearing his name called on a fictitious draft night.

As Davis walks up on stage, he hears the famous Taco Bell chime which, obviously, prompts him to leave the draft and head to the nearest location where he can order a toasted cheddar chalupa. It’s a great ad for Mexican food, which you can watch here:

Though Davis didn’t know it when he was shooting the commercial, his draft night festivities wouldn’t land him at a Taco Bell, but rather in the nation’s capital as the newest member of Washington’s backcourt. Luckily for the Wizards, Davis wouldn’t ditch to get some food before shaking Adam Silver’s hand and donning a Wizards cap.

Taco Bell itself even gave a heartfelt shoutout to Davis shortly after it was announced he’d be heading to Washington. “Congrats, Johnny Davis! The League ain’t ready for you,” read the message on one of the restaurant’s billboards in his hometown of La Crosse, Wisconsin.

Taco Bell tweeted a picture of the message on their Twitter account which has almost two million followers. They cited that it’s from a location in Davis’s hometown.

Davis follows Nikola Jokic as notable NBA players who have a draft connection with Taco Bell. The defending two-time league MVP was drafted 41st overall in 2014 while another commercial for the fast-food giant aired on ESPN.

Davis should find himself at home in Washington. Not only will he add to a young core comprised of the Wizards’ previous four first-rounders, he’ll complement Bradley Beal with size and versatility in the backcourt.

Plus, there are 27 Taco Bell locations in the D.C. area according to FourSquare. Does this mean there will be a special Wizards-themed enchilada coming to the menu soon? Time will tell.

Wizards make history with win despite huge 3-point shooting deficit

By Chase Hughes
Wizards make history with huge 3-point margin originally appeared on NBC Sports WashingtonThe Wizards made five 3-pointers on Wednesday and their opponent, the Sixers, made 19. If that sounds like a major disadvantage, well, it usually is. All of the previous 27 times an NBA team made five threes or fewer and allowed their opponent to make 19 or more, they lost.Somehow, the Wizards bucked that trend to make NBA history and do something no team had ever done before. Outscoring the Sixers 68-38 in the paint was the biggest reason, as that 30-point edge helped offset the 42-point advantage the Sixers had on the perimeter. The result was a 121-111 road victory for Washington, improving their record to 4-4.Tyrese Maxey of the Sixers had five threes all by himself, tying the Wizards as a team. Tobias Harris added four triples, while his teammates James Harden and Georges Niang had three apiece.For the Wizards, Kyle Kuzma made two threes. The only other ones to get a perimeter shot to fall were Bradley Beal, Kristaps Porzingis and Will Barton, who each made one.The Wizards were 5-for-21 from three overall, which breaks out to 23.8%. The Sixers were 19-for-36, good for 52.8%. That's a tremendous shooting night, yet they lost.Just shooting as well from three as the Sixers did is generally an airtight path towards victory. In the last three seasons, teams that have made 19 or more threes, shooting 50% or better, were 112-5.In the same span of time, teams that made five threes or fewer, shooting 25% or worse, were 24-71. The Wizards defied gargantuan odds to pull out the victory.It helped that they otherwise played well offensively. The Wizards scored 121 points, shot 57.7% from the field overall, 26-for-32 from the free throw line (81.3%) and committed only seven turnovers.Porzingis had 30 points and Beal had 29, shooting a combined 20-for-30 (66.7%). Whenever their best players perform like that, the Wizards are going to be in good shape.Washington also defended well aside from the 3-point line. They came into the game allowing the fewest paint points (40.6/g) in the league, yet held the Sixers below that number. Washington outrebounded them 43-32 and blocked nine shots.Philly had a monster third quarter with 39 points, but the Wizards locked down in the fourth to hold them to just 21 points. The Sixers didn't score in the final 2:30 and missed their final four attempts.So, the Wizards made it work, even if the 3-point differential wasn't ideal. Prior history, though, would suggest it's not a recipe for success moving forward.Surely, the Wizards will hope for better results at the 3-point line on both ends of the floor. After making only five threes on Wednesday, the Wizards are averaging only 9.6 per game, 28th in the NBA. And on defense, after giving up 19 to the Sixers just three days after allowing 21 to the Celtics, the Wizards are giving up 13.8 threes per game, ranking 24th in the league.Perimeter shooting has become uniquely important in today's NBA. Many games come down to which team wins the 3-point margin.The Wizards essentially invented a new way to win a basketball game on Wednesday night. They may never be able to replicate it, but a win is a win.
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