Breaking down Ochai Agbaji's Chipotle bowl
As I mentioned yesterday, the NBA Draft is this week. I love the NBA Draft for many reasons I won’t get into, and I especially love it in the era of #Partnerships. While the NIL is now a reality—and this isn’t the first opportunity the Draftees have had to cash in—I love the branded deals that get dropped Draft week as these dudes go through the content car wash. Everyone is just kind of winging it.
As an avowed fan of Ochai Agbaji AND Chipotle, I was absolutely delighted to see this:
First of all… Cuttino Mobley! Too soon!
Streakers, I know you come to this newsletter for rigorous analysis, and I do not take this responsibility lightly. I’ve compiled some notes on the Ochai Bowl, and how its composition projects to the next level. What follows is a Streak Talk Scout©.
Let’s start with the rice. Both brown and white rice? I’ve never heard of that, nor even thought of that being an option.
This unusual selection showcases Ochai’s innate creativity—not something he’s necessarily known for on the floor. However, his bowl subverts this expectation. He has room to grow, and he’s accepted the challenge with the Ochai Bowl. Draft my guy higher!
Ochai wants the cheddar. He’s got both queso blanco1 *and* shredded cheese in his bowl. That’s an “Alpha” order, imo! He went out and got it. Ochai can be relied upon.
Cuttino Mobley has never had the chicken at Chipotle? “I should try that,” he says!
The tortilla/custom taco flip is nice. That’s just pure resourcefulness. He’s using every tool in the box. He sees things differently, finds opportunities that others might not discover easily. Love this!
Gotta know more about Ochai Agbaji’s beats. Tabling this for later.
The other two athletes that got the “bowl treatment” are Jaden Ivey and AJ Griffin. Good company, for sure. I am high on Ivey generally speaking but I am having second thoughts based on his bowl:
just a really bland and unimaginative order. No cheese? No guac? Where’s the sizzle, where’s the sauce? Based on this alone, Ivey will never be “that guy.” That might be an unfair label, but based on this order, it’s undeniable.
I’m curious about how Ochai’s chicken is listed as “pollo asado” and Jaden and AJ just have it as “chicken.” Ochai studied the menu for this, and I believe that will translate into superior NBA game prep. UPDATE: A beloved reader wrote me to let me know that pollo asado is the “new” chicken Chipotle just dropped, and that they still have regular “chicken” as an option. I’m embarrassed for the mistake!
in terms of guys whose food collabs raise their stock…. Johnny Davis got his own T Bell commercial??? All of the sudden I love Johnny Davis!
That’s all for today, folks. The Draft is tomorrow. I’ll see you Friday.
I am obsessed with fast food/fast casual R&D and I can’t think of a product that involved more time and energy than Chipotle’s queso. It’s… fine? Does anyone have any impassioned takes on it? Queso is bad overall in NYC (the best queso in town, hands down, is Alamo Drafthouse) but the point is that I expect more from Chipotle