Ruffles, the Official Chip of the NBA and WNBA, has unveiled NBA legend Charles Barkley as its honorary “Chip Deal Athlete”, joining current Chip Deal Athletes LeBron James, Jayson Tatum, and A’ja Wilson, who are also featured in the campaign.

Barkley asked that Ruffles make a one-time-only release of his favorite culinary flavor, Hot Dogs, to memorialize his honorary Chip Deal. During NBA All-Star Weekend, Ruffles Hot Dog-flavored potato chips were available in extremely limited amounts.

“Just like the athletes and celebrities playing during NBA All-Star 2023, Ruffles’ Chip Deal Athletes are hand-selected based on their skill, the flavor they bring to the table, and their undeniable swagger. I’m thrilled to join this all-star roster and Chip Deal dynasty to bring my flavor and style to the brand,” Barkley mentioned.

The ad, which was aired during the NBA All-Star Game in 2023, showed Barkley choosing a Ruffles flavor at a vending machine while James, Tatum, and Wilson each come to life on their own Ruffles chip bags and “full-court press” him to choose their respective flavor.

“The launch of our new commercial, Charles’s Chip Deal, and our hot dog-flavored Ruffles were all designed to bring hoops culture to our fans in an innovative way. Ruffles is all about celebrating everyone’s style and flavor, and that’s exactly what we’re doing through this campaign,” Stacy Taffet, senior vice president of marketing, at Frito-Lay North America, mentioned.