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When you hear it, it almost sounds too perfect: The King and The Viking.
But as LeBron James and Erling Haaland's new ad for Beats by Dre headphones shows, the life of a top athlete is anything but perfect, no matter how great it may sound.
Savannah James and Alfie Haaland inspire LeBron and Erling
James and Haaland meet in the video at very different places in their careers, but with plenty in common. Both are record breakers: James broke the NBA all-time scoring record in 2023, and Haaland scored the most goals in a Premier League season in his first year in the league. Both come from a hometown they cherish: LeBron from Akron, Ohio and Erling from Bryne, Norway.
Additionally, both seek the motivation to stay at the top, and, with the help of their Beats headphones, block out all the noise. Savannah James, LeBron's wife, leaves him a message in his headphones that plays throughout.
"It's gameday, and the'yre talking again," she says, before listing all the things she wants him to do again, like stick and move, hit the open man and take the high road.
Meanwhile, Erling's motivation comes from his demanding father Alfie Haaland, a former Manchester City player himself.
"They're relentless," he preaches. "Calling you the Terminator, the Viking. Building you up just so they can tear you down."
Erling Haaland signs with LeBron's headphone company
Along with the inspirational video, Haaland announced that he has ed forces with Beats by Dre, the brand which has reportedly netted LeBron $700 million by being a part-owner.
"Been waiting for this one!" Haaland said on social media. "ed the @beatsbydre family and we're kicking it off with our first campaign."
In 2014, Bleacher Report reported that James earned about $30 million when Beats was acquired by Apple for over $3 billion, whereas the $700 million figure was thrown out by Kendrick Perkins on a podcast in 2020.
With LeBron's 21st NBA season about to begin, it appears he has found new motivation, thanks to Savannah, Bronny and a 23-year-old Norwegian viking.